Maharashtra Crisis: Eknath Shinde Reaches Guwahati With '40 MLAs', BJP MLA Welcomes Them At Airport | Updates

Shiv Sena leader Eknath arrived at Guwahati today morning and claimed that 40 party MLAs have reached Assam. BJP MLA Sushanta Borgohain had recieved Shinde on his arrival in Guwahati.

New Delhi: Senior Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Wednesday arrived in Guwahati from Surat and claimed that 40 MLAs from the party have reached Assam adding that they will carry Balasaheb Thackeray’s Hindutva, reported news agency ANI. 

"A total of 40 Shiv Sena MLAs are present here. We will carry Balasaheb Thackeray's Hindutva," Shinde said after arriving in Guwahati. 

The MLAs were received by Assam BJP MLA Sushanata Borgohain in Assam adding to the speculation of Shinde joining the Bharatiya Janata Party along with other Shiv Sena MLA, in a bid to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi government — an alliance between the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress party. 

“I came to receive them (Shiv Sena MLAs from Surat, Gujarat). I have not counted how many MLAs have arrived. I came here for personal relations. They have not disclosed any program,” Borgohain said, quoted by the news agency. 

Meanwhile the Maharashtra cabinet will have a meeting at 1 pm today. 

The other two parties of the MVA will also be holding meetings today. Senior leaders of NCP will have a meeting party president Sharad Pawar's residence. Prominent leaders including Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal will be present in the meeting.

Congress MLAs will also have a meeting today. Party senior leader Kamal Nath will be present in this meeting as an observer. Kamal Nath will reach Mumbai at 10 am today and he will first hold a meeting with the top party leaders at the Sahyadri Guest House. Later he will hold a meeting with all the MLAs of the party. 

On Tuesday, Shinde talked with Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray over the phone and asked him to form a government with the BJP. Thackeray's response to Shinde, is however, not known yet.

Shinde said that he did not take any step against the party and that he does not plan to leave the Shiv Sena party. “I was and will always be a true Shiv Sainik of Balasaheb Thackeray,” he said.