Eknath Shinde Faction Seeks To Be Recognised As Real Shiv Sena, Writes To EC: Sources

12 rebel MPs have written a letter to the Election Commission of India urging it to recognise the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the 'real Shiv Sena'.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at a press conference

Source : PTI

After the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Tuesday suffered a fresh jolt with 12 of its 19 Lok Sabha members shifting allegiance to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, ABP News has learnt from sources that the Election Commission of India has received a letter from Maharashtra MPs urging to recognise the Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena. 

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla recognised two-term member Rahul Shewale from the Shinde faction as the Shiv Sena leader in the Lower House. 

Shewale, the leader of the rebel faction of the Shiv Sena, said they have aligned with the BJP as per the wishes of Uddhav Thackeray, claiming that the latter had made similar efforts in June last year but backtracked later.

The Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, however, rubbished Shewale's claims.

The 12 MPs also wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla identifying Shewale as their leader, expressing no confidence in incumbent Vinayak Raut. They retained five-term member Bhawna Gawli as the chief whip.

The letter came a day after the Thackeray camp wrote to Speaker Birla asserting that Vinayak Raut is the leader of the party in the Lok Sabha and Rajan Vichare the chief whip. They also urged him not to entertain any representation from the rival faction. 

The split in the Shiv Sena ranks in Parliament came a month after Shinde led a rebellion and walked out of the party with a large group of MLAs on June 20. The number of MLAs joining the Shinde camp from the Shiv Sena gradually rose to 40 out of the total 55.

Shinde was appointed chief minister on June 30 after Uddhav Thackeray quit in the wake of the rebellion.

Shinde asserted that the 12 Lok Sabha members were following the ideals of Bal Thackeray and were the original Shiv Sena. The faction is also learnt to have staked claim to the parliamentary party office in Parliament.