Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Friday decided to consolidate the cross-petitions filed by rival Shiv Sena factions, both seeking disqualification of each other’s legislators following a split in the party last year.
The Shiv Sena, founded by the late Bal Thackeray, split in June last year following a rebellion by senior leader Eknath Shinde, who went on to become Chief Minister after unseating the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
The Thackeray faction subsequently sought the disqualification of several MLAs, including Mr. Shinde, citing anti-defection laws. Similar disqualification petitions have been filed by the Shinde group against lawmakers aligned with the rival faction, including Mr. Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aaditya Thackeray.
