Political Crisis Hits Maharashtra After Ruling Alliance's Key Minister Becomes 'Unreachable'
08:55 GMT 21.06.2022 (Updated: 11:42 GMT 10.12.2022)
© AP Photo / Rajanish Kakade
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The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in India's western state of Maharashtra is comprised of three parties - the Shiv Sena, the Indian National Congress (INC), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). While the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena has 55 legislators, the NCP and INC have 54 and 44 lawmakers. The BJP has 106 out of 288 legislators.
A massive political crisis erupted in Indian state of Maharashtra on Tuesday after rebellion hit the ranks of Shiv Sena, the party leading the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance government.
The ruling coalition includes Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) among others, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the main opposition party in Maharashtra.
As per Indian media, including NDTV and the Times of India, State Minister Eknath Shinde, a key Shiv Sena politician, is leading the revolt against party president Uddhav Thackeray and his Maharashtra government.
In the morning, media reports claimed that Shiv Sena had been unable to "reach out" to the influential minister, who represents Thane, a suburb of state capital Mumbai, in the Maharashtra state legislature.
He was believed to be in the neighboring state of Gujarat, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party is in power.
The reports further stated that Shinde was currently camping in Surat, a city in Gujarat, along with 21 other Shiv Sena legislators.
Shinde is reportedly upset with Shiv Sena's leadership for sidelining him from the party and in the government.
Accusing the BJP of plotting to topple the MVA government, Shiv Sena spokesperson and Parliamentarian Sanjay Raut acknowledged that his party was unable to speak with Shinde.
"Some MLAs (lawmakers) of Shiv Sena and Eknath Shinde are currently not reachable. Efforts are being made to topple the state government but the BJP has to remember that Maharashtra is very different from Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh (states)."
"I know Eknath Shinde Ji, he is a true Shiv Sainik. He will return without any conditions," Raut told local media persons.
Raut, however, also claimed that his party colleagues had been able to connect with some of the lawmakers in Gujarat but they were not being allowed to leave.
"Some of them want to return, but they are not being allowed to," he stated.
As per the latest reports, the Shiv Sena has removed Shinde from the post of party chief whip. He will be replaced by Ajay Chaudhary as the party's group leader in the state legislature.
The significant decision came after an emergency meeting of Shiv Sena politicians was held at State Chief Uddhav Thackeray's official residence in Mumbai.
The BJP and the Sena were allies for nearly three decades before splitting after the November 2019 poll results.
The two parties had contested the polls together and their alliance had won a clear majority. While the BJP won well over 100 seats, the Sena triumphed in 55 constituencies.
However, the alliance splintered after the Sena wanted BJP to give them a public guarantee that the post of the state chief would be shared between the two parties for an equal term of 2.5 years each.
The BJP didn't agree to Sena's demand, and Thackeray eventually went on to become the state chief by forging an unlikely tripartite alliance with the NCP and Congress.
Before coming together, the Shiv Sena and the Congress/NCP combination were bitter foes in the state, having fought in every election against each other.
Additionally, the Shiv Sena calls itself a right-wing party, widely known for strongly propagating Hinduism or Hindu ideology, while the NCP and Congress profess to be secular.
The BJP and the Sena were allies for nearly three decades before splitting after the November 2019 poll results.
The two parties had contested the polls together and their alliance had won a clear majority. While the BJP won well over 100 seats, the Sena triumphed in 55 constituencies.
However, the alliance splintered after the Sena wanted BJP to give them a public guarantee that the post of the state chief would be shared between the two parties for an equal term of 2.5 years each.
The BJP didn't agree to Sena's demand, and Thackeray eventually went on to become the state chief by forging an unlikely tripartite alliance with the NCP and Congress.
Before coming together, the Shiv Sena and the Congress/NCP combination were bitter foes in the state, having fought in every election against each other.
Additionally, the Shiv Sena calls itself a right-wing party, widely known for strongly propagating Hinduism or Hindu ideology, while the NCP and Congress profess to be secular.
