After sacking Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena declares Ajay Chaudhary as legislative group leader

Shiv Sena cracked its first whip on Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde by replacing him with Ajay Chaudhary as the party's legislative group leader for the state Assembly. Shiv Sena, which is one of the parties in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government, has now issued an official letter on their replacement. This decision was taken after a crucial meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. 

Meanwhile, sources have revealed that Eknath Shinde is likely to resign from the Maharashtra Ministry as the Cabinet Minister of Urban Development and Public Works by Tuesday evening. 

Earlier in the day, Shinde had broken his silence on his rebellion and had asserted that he would never abandon late Shiv Sena patriarch Babasaheb Thackeray's thoughts and Anand Dighe Saheb's teachings. "We are Balasaheb's staunch Shiv Sainiks ... Balasaheb has taught us Hindutva .. We have never and will never cheat for power regarding Balasaheb's thoughts and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Saheb's teachings," he tweeted in Marathi. 

Maharashtra political crisis

Trouble ensued for the Uddhav Thackeray regime after state minister Eknath Shinde arrived in BJP-ruled Gujarat early Tuesday morning along with 17 MLAs of the Shiv Sena. He is said to be in touch with at least 25 legislators who are likely to jump ship, amid efforts of the BJP to regain power in the state. As per sources, Shinde is being offered a top post by BJP in return for helping the party return to power. The number of Maharashtra MLAs with Shinde is speculated to be more than the number that remains with the MVA.

This comes less than a day after the saffron party swept the Legislative Council elections in Maharashtra, winning 5 of the 10 seats. The BJP managed to cross the 134 mark, just 11 short of the majority number suggesting that several cross-voted. 

While addressing a press conference earlier in the day, NCP chief Sharad Pawar exuded confidence that a solution to the present political crisis in Maharashtra was on the cards. Claiming that there is no internal conflict in the MVA alliance, the NCP supremo said, "Shiv Sena has the responsibility of the CM and the deputy CM is from NCP. It is Shiv Sena's internal issue (Eknath Shinde going to Surat). We will be with Shiv Sena." 

The BJP has also refuted having any hand in the political crisis. So far, there has not been any proposal regarding government formation neither from the BJP nor from Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil affirmed. However, he added that 'anything can happen in politics at any time.'