Maharashtra Shiv Sena verdict: Assembly speaker says Eknath Shinde faction is the real party

In a blow to Uddhav Thackeray camp, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar has declared that faction led by state Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is the real Shiv Sena. Narvekar said that Shinde's claim was legitimate as majority of the party MLAs support him.

Narvekar read out the verdict on the issue of disqualification of 34 MLAs from the assembly. The speaker said that while deciding on the contesting claims made by both factions, it was necessary to consider party constitution which was passed in 1999. Uddhav Thackeray camp was insistent that an amended party constitution from the year 2018 should be considered. Narvekar said this was not possible as the amended constitution was not before the Election Commission of India (ECI).

He therefore said that Uddhav Thackeray, who holds the post of party president, did not have power to remove Eknath Shinde from the post of legislative party leader.

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Shinde's rebellion

The verdict from the legislative assembly speaker has come after 18 months of Eknath Shinde's rebellion against then Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray which split Shiv Sena and ultimately brought down the state government formed after a coalition between Shiv Sena, Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.

Eknath Shinde, who was a minister in Thackeray-led government, then joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with MLAs in his support and became chief minister of Maharashtra. BJP leader and former state CM Devendra Fadnavis assumed the post of deputy chief minister.

There was soon a tussle between Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde factions over which one was the real Shiv Sena and both camps filed cross-petitions against each other before the legislative assembly speaker.

In May last year, the Supreme Court of India directed speaker Rahul Narvekar to expeditiously decide the matter of disqualification of the MLAs.

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The Election Commission of India had awarded the name 'Shiv Sena' and the widely popular party symbol of 'bow and arrow' to the Shinde faction.

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The latest verdict by the legislative assembly speaker is likely to have impact on politics of Maharashtra and even India.

(With inputs from agencies)