Maharashtra Crisis: 37 MLAs Left Shiv Sena

Mr. Shinde expressed his aggression through a tweet

Mumbai: Ahead of the internal politics within the Maharasthra Govt., the crisis peaked with 37 Shiv Sena MLAs of the Eknath Shinde faction writing to the Governor and Deputy Speaker, naming him the legislature party leader and completely sidelining Uddhav Thackeray in the party founded by his father.

Taking notes from Mr Shinde's move, this comes shortly after Team Uddav Thackeray fought back, filing disqualification applications for 12 rebels with the Deputy Speaker, which may help tweak the numbers in the Assembly in case of a trust vote. Eknath Shinde has argued that the application is illegal.

While expressing his aggression and disappointment towards the Govt., Mr. Shinde tweeted, "Who are you trying to scare? We know your make-up and the law too! According to the 10th Schedule to the Constitution (Schedule), the whip is for assembly work, not for a meeting. There are numerous Supreme Court decisions in this regard."

The Sena had threatened MLAs who skipped a legislature party meeting called by Uddhav Thackeray On Wednesday with disqualification.

Ahead of the tweet, Eknath Shinde reached the critical number of MLAs, 37, required to split the party in the assembly without falling foul of the anti-defection law. His total strength is now 42. Two more MLAs, Dada Bhuse and Sanjay Rathore and one MLC, Ravibdra Fathak, had joined his team in Guwahati in the evening.

Meanwhile, earlier this morning, Shiv Sena said it would consider exiting the Maharashtra alliance with Sharad Pawar's NCP and Congress but only if the rebels return "in 24 hours".

Eknath Shinde has demanded the Sena break its alliance with the Congress and the NCP, saying this was diluting its Hindutva ideology and that the party leaders suffered the most in the last two-and-a-half years of the coalition rule.