Cross-voting in MLC polls: CM calls emergency meeting of all Shiv Sena MLAs; Eknath Shinde, other MLAs unreachable
The missing Shiv Sena MLAs are believed to be holed up in a hotel in Gujarat with Shinde.
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Mumbai, June 21: Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, along with at least 10 MLAs, has gone ‘out of reach’ since Monday’s legislative council elections, fuelling rumours of a rebellion within the party.
The BJP won 5 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council election with Shiv Sena and NCP bagging two each. The BJP had fielded 4 candidates while MVA fielded 6 candidates for 10 MLC seats. BJP managed to win big in the election despite being short in numbers.
This comes amid allegations of cross-voting by some Shiv Sena MLAs. The ‘missing’ Shiv Sena MLAs are believed to be holed up in a hotel in Surat, Gujarat, a BJP-ruled state, with Shinde. Security outside the hotel has been beefed up and no one is being allowed entry.
Reports say he has the support of 20 MLAs from western Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Vidarbha.
The BJP won 5 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council election with Shiv Sena and NCP bagging two each. The BJP had fielded 4 candidates while MVA fielded 6 candidates for 10 MLC seats. BJP managed to win big in the election despite being short in numbers.
The BJP has 106 MLAs in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, while the remaining votes for its candidates have either come from independent MLAs, or those from small parties or from other parties.
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Soon after winning election, BJP's winning candidate Pravin Darekar said, “We're very happy; Maharashtra has shown faith in BJP. Cross-voting 100% happened among members of Shiv Sena and Congress. We wouldn't have received so many votes otherwise.”
After the suspected cross-voting in the MLC poll, Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray convened an urgent meeting of all party MLAs on Tuesday noon. All party MLAs have been asked to remain present in the meeting without fail. Around 20 MLAs are suspected to have cross-voted.
The meeting will be held at the CM's official residence in Mumbai.