Days after resigning as the chief minister of Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray Tuesday said he was backstabbed by Eknath Shinde, the man who led the rebellion to bring down the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of over two years. The Sena chief made the statement while addressing party workers in Mumbai, reported news agency ANI.
"Shinde to whom I have given the responsibility of the party backstabbed me, while NCP and Congress remained with us. It is painful to see that those (MLAs and ministers) who won due to Sena workers and got everything has left him," Thackeray told media persons here.
Earlier in June this year, Shinde led a group of Sena MLAs against the MVA government led by Uddhav Thackeray, resulting in the alliance losing majority in the Maharashtra assembly. Shiv Sena chief Thackeray was forced to step down as CM ahead of a floor test.
Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister on June 30 with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis being made the deputy Chief Minister, a day after Uddhav Thackeray resigned as the CM of the state.
The new Eknath Shinde-led government got 164 votes while 99 were polled against the newly formed BJP-Shinde camp coalition.
After the Maharashtra government won the trust vote in the state Assembly, Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde faction on Monday gave a petition to Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar for the suspension of 16 MLAs of the party belonging to Uddhav Thackeray's camp for violation of whip.
The Speaker's office confirmed that 16 MLAs will be issued notice for suspension. Gogawale had also issued a whip to the party MLAs to remain present in the Vidhan Sabha for the floor test
(With ANI inputs)