INDIA. Mumbai: Before the floor test set for Monday, newly elected Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar has reinstated rebel leader (Chief Minister) Eknath Shinde as the leader of the Shiv Sena Legislature Party (SLP), who had been replaced by Party Chief Uddhav Thackeray.
In a late-night Sunday development, Narvekar accepted Shinde as the SLP leader and dismissed Shiv Sena MLA Ajay Chaudhary.
Additionally, he acknowledged Bharat Gogawale (Mahad, Raigad) from the Shinde camp as the Shiv Sena’s main whip and relieved Sunil Prabhu of that position.
According to a letter dated July 3 from Shivdarshan Sathye, Deputy Secretary of the state parliamentary secretariat, the speaker has kept Shinde in his position as SLP leader despite considering the law, which was originally appointed on October 31, 2019.
In response to Shinde’s letter dated June 22 opposing his expulsion and Chaudhary’s selection by Thackeray as the leader of the SLP, the Speaker made his decision.
On June 20, shortly after the news of several MLAs planning to elude the party by hiding out in Surat (Gujarat), Thackeray fired Shinde and named Chowdhary and Prabhu as the SLP leader and chief whip, respectively. These appointments were approved by the late Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal.
As per procedure, the whip that Ghogawale would issue for Monday’s trust vote will bind the 16 MLA-strong Thackeray faction. These 16 MLAs risk being removed from office if they refuse to heed the whip.
Shinde held a meeting with his team and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with other BJP MLAs at a hotel in Mumbai on Sunday, ahead of the floor test.
Rajan Salvi, the nominee of the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, received 107 votes, while Narvekar received 164 votes. The voting took place earlier on Sunday among 271 (out of 287) MLAs.
Now it is a case of whip and counter whip between the Shinde faction (39 rebels) and the Thackeray faction (16 original MLAs). Speaking to the Transcontinental Times, Chowdhary said that the issue of his appointment being rescinded by the Speaker will be taken up to the court.
“In any case, the matter related to disqualification is pending in the Supreme Court,” he added.
Last Friday, the Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala agreed to hear the plea of Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu seeking suspension of Shinde and other rebels from the Assembly against whom disqualification pleas are pending.
The court has sought replies to the disqualification notices from the state government and others on their pleas questioning the legality of notices seeking their disqualification. The matter is expected to be heard on July 11/July 12.
Also Read: Maharashtra’s New CM Eknath Shinde to Face Test of Strength on Monday
