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ANOTHER DAY OF POLITICAL TOPSY-TURVY

The unfolding political tussle in Maharashtra is present with great drama and colour. The Daily Guardian Review makes an attempt to capture each and every move.

Uddhav Thackeray
Uddhav Thackeray

UDDHAV’S EMISSARY TO SURAT JOINS REBEL FACTION

MUMBAI: In yet another setback to the Uddhav Thackeray faction amid the ongoing political crisis, Shiv Sena leader Ravindra Fatak, who was believed to be a close associate of the CM and was flown to Surat as an emissary where rebel MLAs were initially camping, has switched sides to join the Eknath Shinde-led faction.Notably, Fatak is not an MLA but an MLC. The situation for Thackeray continues to become grimmer with his close aide switching sides and the chief minister himself falling short of numbers with only 13 MLAs being in his faction at present.Notably, a total of 42 Maharashtra MLAs are present with Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde while only 13 are with Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena.Meanwhile, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday held the central government led by the BJP responsible for the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra where around 40 Sena MLAs have revolted against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and are currently camping in Guwahati.Kharge alleged that the BJP-led Centre is attempting to “destabilise” the “strong” Maha Vikas Aghadi government in view of the forthcoming presidential poll next month as they need numbers to get their presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu victorious in the poll slated to be held on 18 July.“The MLAs were first taken to Surat where there is a BJP rule, then they were shifted to Guwahati. The BJP wants to destabilise the Maharashtra government. MVA is a strong government that the BJP is attempting to destabilise. The BJP wants that there should not be a single non-BJP government in this country,” Kharge alleged.

CM HOUSE INACCESSIBLE, WE FELT INSULTED: SHINDE SHARES MLA’S LETTER

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday slammed the BJP, accusing the party of attempting to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and said that instead of sending Maharashtra MLAs to flood-hit Assam, they should be sent to her state.The TMC supremo said, “Send Maharashtra MLAs to Bengal. We will extend good hospitality to them.” Her statement came in the wake of a protest by TMC workers outside the Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati where the rebel Maharashtra MLAs are lodged.Mamata said: “We want justice for Uddhav Thackeray and all. Today (BJP) you’re in power and using money, muscle, mafia power. But one day you have to go. Someone can break your party too. This is wrong and I don’t support it. Instead of Assam, send them (rebel MLAs) to Bengal. We will give them good hospitality…After Maharashtra, they will topple other governments also. We want justice for people, constitution.”

SEND MLAs TO BENGAL, WILL OFFER GOOD HOSPITALITY: MAMATA

MUMBAI: The Eknath Shinde-led rebel faction of the Shiv Sena on Thursday released photographs of Sena MLA Nitin Deshmukh who returned to Maharashtra a day ago and alleged that he was forcibly taken to Surat in Gujarat.Addressing a press conference here, Deshmukh alleged that he was taken to Surat and when he realised the conspiracy against the Maha Vikas Aghadi government he tried to run away but was caught by Surat Police. “We were forcibly taken to Surat, I tried to run away but was caught by Surat police. Despite having no complications, doctors told me that I had a heart attack. 300-350 police personnel were keeping an eye on us,” he alleged.“Before me, MLA Prakash Abitkar tried to get away from them but he could not. We got to know about the conspiracy against the MVA government as soon as we reached Surat hotel,” Deshmukh said.Soon after, the Shinde camp released pictures of Deshmukh with other rebel MLAs.

REBEL CAMP RELEASES PICTURES TO COUNTER DESHMUKH’S CLAIM

MUMBAI: As the political crisis in Maharashtra further deepened, rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Thursday tweeted a letter addressed to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, and captioned it “This is the sentiment of MLAs”.Shinde shared a letter written by Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat from the Aurangabad (West) Assembly seat and dated 22 June. “It was nice to see people are being allowed inside your Bungalow but these doors were closed for us elected MLAs. We came with our problems in our constituencies and other work, but were made to remain outside for hours together. Shinde was accessible. We stood at the gates of ‘Varsha’ for hours. It was only Shinde who supported us,” the MLA wrote in the letter.The letter also alleged that “People around the CM used to decide if we can meet him or not. We felt we were insulted. CM never used to be in the Secretariat, instead, he used to be in Matoshree (Thackeray residence). We used to call people around the CM but they never used to attend our calls. We were fed up with all these things and persuaded Shinde to take this step.”“While we weren’t able to meet the CM, people from our ‘real opposition’ — the Congress and the NCP used to get opportunities to meet him and even funds were given to them related to work in their constituencies. When Hindutva and Ram Mandir are crucial issues for the party, then why did the party stop us from visiting Ayodhya? MLAs were called and were stopped from going to Ayodhya during Aaditya Thackeray’s visit to Ayodhya.”

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