In another major setback to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced the formation of a new national executive of his camp, dissolving the earlier one.
On Monday, July 18, Shinde held a meeting with Shiv Sena MLAs at Trident hotel in Mumbai and passed a resolution electing him as mukhya neta of Shiv Sena. Whereas the post of the Chairman or President of the new executive has not been announced.
Meanwhile, the Uddhav Thackeray group resented the move, questioning the legal right of the Shinde faction to sack the existing national executive. The presidential position has not been touched though.
In the meeting, 14 MLAs, who extended their support to Uddhav Thackeray during Eknath Shinde's rebellion against the Sena leadership, also adopted resolutions for the appointment of executive members of the party.
MLA Deepak Kesarkar has been appointed as a spokesperson. Shinde chose the former BMC standing committee chairman Yashwant Jadhav, MLAs Gulabrao Patil, Uday Samant and Tanaji Sawant, actor/producer Sharad Ponkshe, former IAS officer Vijay Nahata and former MP Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil as Upa Neta (deputy leaders).
Ramdas Kadam, who quit the Thackeray's camp, and ex-MP Anandrao Adsul have been appointed as leaders of the Shiv Sena party.
It has come to light that 12 of 18 Sena MPs have allegedly switched sides and are likely to join the Eknath Shinde camp at a press conference in Delhi, sources said. They are also expected to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde himself is in Delhi today, where he would meet senior BJP leaders. It will be Shinde’s second visit to Delhi since assuming the office as Maharashtra CM on June 30.
As per sources, the 12 MPs in touch with Shinde are — Dhairyasheel Sambhajirao Mane, Sadashiv Lokhande, Hemant Godse, Hemant Patil, Rajendra Gavit, Sanjay Mandlik, Shrikant Shinde, Shrirang Barne, Rahul Shewale, Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav, Krupal Tumane, Bhavna Gawli.
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