Guwahati: With the Supreme Court hearing on regarding the floor test Thursday on the floor of the Maharashtra Assembly, team Enknath Shinde has finally left this city. They will take a chartered flight to Goa where they will stay in another five star hotel. This move has come about as it will enable the rebel MLAs (both Shiv Sena and Independents) to reach the Assembly quickly if the floor test for the Uddhav Thackeray-led government takes place.
The MLAs boarded a bus at 10 am and headed to the famous Kamakhya temple. Then they left for Goa in a chartered flight at 5.00pm. As the Supreme Court hearing is on, they will be on the flight en route to Goa.
“We will wait for the verdict,” one of the MLAs, Deepak Kesarkar was quoted as saying by ‘NDTV’ before the group left this town.
Team Thackeray – reduced to about 15 MLAs including four ministers – has asked the Supreme Court to over-rule any moves that call for him to prove his majority right now in the Maharashtra Assembly. Those moves were put into motion Tuesday night with a BJP congregation, led by Devendra Fadnavis, who hopes to return as Maharashtra Chief Minister.
The rebels within the Sena constitute 39 MLAs including Shinde who till a few days back was a minister in the Thackeray Cabinet. Sources said that if the rebels remain united and support the BJP, they can bring down the MVA government. However, they will still need the support of a few Independent MLAs.
Shinde has openly declared that his faction, based on its numbers, should be recognised legally as the real Shiv Sena, and that what it wants, more than anything else, is to reunite with the BJP. The saffron party has provided the rebels with assistance whenever needed.