Meanwhile, former Mumbai mayor and Shiv Sena leader Kishori Pednekar has said that the wives of several rebel MLAs are calling Rashmi Thackeray, the wife of Maharashtra CM, to convince their husbands to return to the state. Pednekar was reacting to reports that Rashmi Thackeray was phoning the wives of rebel MLAs to get them to return.
"Rashmi Thackeray has cordial and family relations with the party's leaders and workers. I am not sure if she is calling the wives to ask their husbands to return, but I know for a fact that wives of many rebel MLAs have spoken to Rashmi vaini (sister) asking that their husbands be brought back. Her relations with everyone is beyond politics," she claimed.
With Maharashtra Cabinet Minister for Higher and Technical Education Uday Samant joining the Eknath Shinde camp at Guwahati on June 26, the power struggle between Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena dissident Eknath Shinde grew more heated.
"Uday Samant, Maharashtra Minister of Higher and Technical Education joined Eknath Shinde faction at Guwahati. He is the 8th minister to join the Shinde camp," sources earlier said today.
Shiv Sena has started legal action and filed notices to the concerned MLAs, according to earlier information from MP Arvind Sawant.
Addressing the reporters today, Sawant said, "Political turbulence is going on in Maharashtra, many MLAs defected and have gone to Assam. We have initiated legal action against them and notice has been served to 16 MLAs till now."
Advocate Devdutta Kamat, Shiv Sena's Senior Counsel also said to reporters, "Proceedings have been initiated by Shiv Sena against 16 MLAs, under the provision in the Constitution which says that if a person gives up the membership of a party then he's eligible for disqualification."
(With PTI inputs)
