New Delhi: Amid the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra, rebel Shiv Sena MLA Deepak Kesarkar on Saturday said that they would move the court if recognition is not given to their faction. “Recognition should be given to our faction. If it is not given, we will go to court and prove our existence and numbers,” news agency quoted ANI Kesarkar as saying. “We have numbers, but we respect CM Uddhav Thackeray and won’t speak against him. We must follow the path on which we fought the assembly elections,” he added.
Kesarkar also rubbished claims that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is responsible for the ongoing political developments in the state.
Asserting no party is paying for their expenses, Kesarkar said: “Our leader Eknath Shinde called us and we came and stayed here (Guwahati hotel). We will pay the expenses.”
Kesarkar further said they are still in the Shiv Sena, adding there is a misunderstanding that they have left the party.
“We have just separated our faction. We have two-third majority to follow the path we wanted,” Kesarkar said.
“Our new leader (has been) chosen by majority. They did not have more than 16 to 17 MLAs,” he added.
The rebel MLAs led by Eknath Shinde named their group as ‘Shiv Sena Balasaheb’ at a meeting held in Assam’s Guwahati earlier in the day.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had earlier asked the BJP leaders to “stop bleating like a goat” and said his party “cannot be hijacked with such ease”.
Raut expressed confidence of proving the majority on the floor of the Maharashtra Assembly.
“Stop bleating like a goat (to BJP leaders)... During our meeting last night in the presence of Sharad Pawar, we received a call from 10 (rebel) MLAs... Come to the floor of the House and we will know who is stronger,” said Raut.
“Outside Maharashtra, you are eagles. But people’s patience is wearing thin,” he added.
Asserting the Shiv Sainiks have right now “not come out on the streets”, Raut said: “If they do, the streets will be on fire.”
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra, has sought to know who was paying the bills of hotels in Guwahati and Surat.
The NCP had also asked the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to find out the source of “black money” involved.
“Who is paying bills of hotels in Surat and Guwahati as well as the chartered flight? Is it true that horse-trading rate is Rs 50 crore? If the ED and IT get activated, the source of the black money will be exposed,” said NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase.
This comes as majority of the Shiv Sena MLAs have shifted their loyalty to Shinde and are camping in Guwahati.
They have pushed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray into a crisis.
Shinde and the other rebel MLAs had stayed at a hotel in Surat before a hotel in Guwahati became their base.