Let’s resolve it with discussion, CM tells Shinde faction MLAs
Not having lost all hopes about the possible return of a section of rebel Shiv Sena MLAs who are currently campaigning at Guwahati, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray once again appealed to them to come back to Mumbai and hold talks with him so that a solution could be found to tide over the political crisis within the Sena.
However, within hours after the Chief Minister held out an olive branch to the rebel MLAs, leader of the breakaway faction of the Sena Eknath Shinde tweeted: “On one hand, your son (Minister Aditya Thackeray) and Spokesperson (MP Sanjay Raut) called the revered Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sainiks as pigs, gutter-muck, dogs, cattle, morons, zombies, and even brought in the names of their fathers, and on the other hand, he (Uddhav) is making a call to save the anti-Hindutva MVA Government by making an appeal to the same MLAs to return…What does this mean?”
Talking to the media, Uddhav appealed to all Shiv Sena MLAs to return to the parent camp. He said that as the head of the Sena family, he respected their views and made it clear from his heart that till date “nobody is out of the party” though the (rebels) are stuck in Guwahati with all kinds of speculation.
“I appeal to you all… Come to me…Let’s talk it out. Let’s remove all the misconceptions among the minds of the people and the Shiv Sainiks,” the CM appealed.
Uddhav said that the parent Sena would accord respect and dignity to the Sena rebels. “Come in front of me and present your views, let’s work out a solution,” he said..
This is at least the third direct appeal made by the CM to the rebels since the party crisis exploded on the night of June 21-22. “Many of you are in contact with us and are still emotionally connected with the Shiv Sena… The families of several have also got in touch with us and conveyed your sentiments to us,” Uddhav said.
The ruling MVA was plunged into turmoil, when that night around 39 Sena MLAs and 11 others sneaked out to Gujarat and then to Assam to join the rebel faction led by Shinde.
The CM said, “If we all sit together, we can definitely come up with a solution to the political turmoil and cautioned them saying that the rebel group had fallen prey to any kinds of wrong measures, hinting at a possible tie-up with the Opposition BJP.”
Uddhav said that the respect and dignity the Shiv Sena accorded to their elected respected they can never get that privilege anywhere else.
Earlier, in a resolution signed by 34 rebel MLAs which was submitted to the Governor, Deputy Speaker and Secretary of the Assembly, the rebel Sena MLAs had said that “there has been great dissatisfaction prevalent amongst the members of Shiv Sena and party cadre at large on account of corruption in the government. Corruption by then Home Minister Anil Deshmukh (who is in Jail), and sitting Minority Minister Nawab Malik (who is also in jail for involvement with Underworld Don Dawood Ibrahim),” the letter stated.
Shinde, whose camp submitted a letter to the Deputy Speaker pegging the number of Sena MLAs supporting him was 39.
In their letter, the rebel Sena MLAs also stated that “there is enormous discontent amongst the party workers for forming the government with NCP and Indian National Congress who are ideologically opposed to the Shiv Sena,” Shinde had said.
“There has been a compromise on the principles of our party Shiv Sena. For Last two and half years, the our party and its leadership have compromised party principles by aligning with the contrasting ideologies for the sake of achieving power in the State of Maharashtra,” the letter had read.
