Thackeray faction claims 8-10 MLAs from Shinde group in touch

Mumbai: The Thackeray faction on Thursday claimed that about eight to 10 MLAs from the CM Eknath Shinde group are in touch with them. They said the legislators are unhappy with the induction of NCP leader Ajit Pawar as deputy chief minister.

However, Shinde has denied any such discontent among his ranks and said rivals were spreading these rumours.

Some MLAs from the Shinde group had been eying ministerial berths for a year but instead of them, some of the NCP legislators, including Pawar, were inducted in the state cabinet.

After some of them expressed their displeasure publicly, Shinde held a meeting of his MLAs and there were reports of heated arguments in the meeting. Referring to this unrest in the Shinde camp, Thackeray faction has now claimed that some of the MLAs have contacted them.

“We came to know that there were heated arguments in the meeting held by CM Shinde. Many MLAs were not happy after the induction of the NCP into the government. Around right to 10 MLAs are in touch and they want to come back.” said Vinayak Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP.

Bachchu Kadu, Prahar Janshakti party MLA who joined Shinde last year expressed his displeasure over the induction of Pawar into the cabinet and indicated that it is but natural that some MLAs feel like going back.

Kadu, who was a minister in the MVA government, said, “It was wrong to induct Ajit Pawar in the cabinet. There is always a limit to tolerate something and once that limit is over one could take some decisions.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Shinde said he took a meeting of his MLAs and said there is no unhappiness amongst them. “We were in power and we left power. Our Shiv Sena-BJP alliance exists because of our ideologies,” he said.

He denied that some Shiv Sena MLAs are in touch with the Thackeray faction as claimed by Raut. “These rumours have been floating since we left the Shiv Sena UBT that MLAs would return from a Guwahati hotel. This is a very poor attempt by them. Let them declare the names of MLAs who are in touch, if they have guts.’’

Shinde said that (Shiv Sena) MLAs got significant funds in the last one year and were very happy vis-a-vis two and a half years of the MVA. Asked if he knew Congress MLAs were in touch to join the government, Shinde said that he was not aware of any such thing.