On Saturday, alarm bells rang when Sena rebel leader Eknath Shinde and his flock wrote a letter to the governor, chief minister, home minister and state police chief, accusing the government of withdrawing the security provided to their families even as the offices and residences of some colleagues came under attack from the aggrieved Shiv Sena cadre.

Home minister Dilip Walse Patil promptly denied the allegation. “On the contrary, the security to their families has been beefed up. No such order has been given. However, the MLAs who are not here don’t have the security apparatus because the personnel cannot just sit there when the person is not there. Instead, the policemen can work elsewhere,” he added. He also said that the police were on the job to contain the attacks, if any. Meanwhile, an attack on the Thane residence of Shinde’s son was reported. That followed a street protest by Shinde’s supporters. Earlier, the offices of some Mumbai MLAs were also attacked. Agitations have been staged in several towns and constituencies of the MLAs, who have been branded betrayers by the CM’s faction.