Disqualification pleas verdict: Numbers matter in democracy, we have them, says CM Eknath Shinde

CM Eknath Shinde. File Pic

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, while reacting to the disqualification pleas verdict on Wednesday, said that the numbers are important in democracy, and the Shiv Sena led by him has the numbers against the rival faction led by Uddhav Thackeray, reported the PTI.

According to the PTI, reacting to the Maharashtra assembly Speaker's ruling which said that his faction was the real Shiv Sena, Shinde also said that the party chief's individual opinion cannot be the opinion of the entire party.

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Even the Election Commission of India allotted the name and symbol of the Shiv Sena to his party, he noted.

Reading out his ruling on disqualification petitions filed by Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the rival group led by Thackeray against each other's MLAs, Speaker Rahul Narwekar held that when the split in the party became evident, it was the Shinde-led group that was the real Sena.

The Speaker rejected all the petitions seeking disqualification of MLAs. "No MLA is being disqualified," he said, as per the PTI.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said that his party will challenge Maharashtra assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar's order holding Eknath Shinde-led party as the real Shiv Sena, the news agency reported.

Talking to reporters, Sanjay Raut termed the order as a "conspiracy", and said it was a "black day" for the Marathi 'manoos'. He said doing this to the party formed by Bal Thackeray was a cruel thing that amounted to stabbing the Marathi manoos and Maharashtra in the back.

Speaker Narwekar on Wednesday held that the Eknath Shinde-led faction was the "real Shiv Sena political party" when rival groups emerged in June 2022. He read out his ruling on the disqualification petitions filed by Shinde-led Sena and the rival faction led by Uddhav Thackeray against each other's MLAs this evening.

"The order (by the speaker) has been received from Delhi, we do not accept it. This order is not according to law and the Constitution. It was BJP's dream to finish Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena, but the Shiv Sena will not end like this. The order is a conspiracy. Will definitely go to the Supreme Court...our fight will continue in courts," Sanjay Raut said, according to the PTI.

(with PTI inputs)