Disqualification pleas verdict: Uddhav Thackeray faction moves Supreme Court against Speaker's order on real Shiv Sena

Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde. File Pic

The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena on Monday moved the Supreme Court challenging Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar's order declaring the Shiv Sena bloc led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the "real political party" after its split in June 2022, reported the PTI.

The speaker had also also rejected the Uddhav Thackeray faction's plea to disqualify 16 MLAs of the ruling camp, including CM Shinde.

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In his ruling on the disqualification petitions on January 10, the speaker had not disqualified any MLA from the rival camps.

The ruling further cemented CM Eknath Shinde's position as the chief minister, 18 months after he led a rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray, and added to his political heft in the ruling coalition which also consists of the BJP and the NCP (Ajit Pawar group) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in summer and state assembly elections due in the second half of 2024, according to the PTI.

Rahul Narwekar had said no party leadership can use provisions of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution (anti-defection law) to quell dissent or indiscipline within a party.

The CM Shinde group had the support of 37 out of the total 54 Sena MLAs when party split in June 2022, the speaker had noted.

The Election Commission had given the 'Shiv Sena' name and 'bow and arrow' symbol to the Eknath Shinde-led faction in early 2023.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar while referring to the recent disqualification pleas verdict said that a party can't have 2 whips and the Uddhav Thackeray camp MLAs have to follow whip issued by Bharat Gogavale, reported the PTI on Friday.

Rahul Narwekar said that there is only one Shiv Sena legislative party in the state legislature and its MLAs will have to adhere to the whip issued by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led camp's whip Bharat Gogavale, recognised by him.

Speaking to a news channel, Rahul Narwekar said he has diligently followed the Supreme Court's guidelines while giving his judgment on the cross-petitions by Sena factions seeking disqualification of each other's MLAs following a split in the party in 2022, and his decision is tenable, according to the PTI.

(with PTI inputs)