Thackeray's letter removing Shinde as 'Sena leader' to be challenged: Kesarkar

Shiv Senas rebel MLA Deepak Kesarkar on Saturday said that Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackerays letter removing Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde from the post of Shiv Sena leader would be challenged before an appropriate forumTalking to reporters in Goa where the rebel MLAs are currently camping about Thackerays letter Kesarkar said Shinde has been elected as the partys group leader in the House by majority of Sena MLAsThis letter of removing Shinde from the post is an insult of the people of Maharashtra he saidShinde remains our group leader in the House and his dignity should be maintained Kesarkar said adding that Thackerays letter would be challenged before the appropriate forumWe had said that we will not respond to any statement made by Uddhav Thackeray But as far as this letter is concerned we will have to respond he saidThackerays letter does not fit within the legal framework he said adding that Shinde has been elected as the group leader by the MLAs and no one can snatch that position from himAlso Read Maharashtra BJPShinde govt to face floor test on July 4The rebel Sena MLA also claimed that Shiv Sainiks in Maharashtra are being asked to file an affidavit pledging their loyalty to the partySlamming the move he said The relationship between a Shiv Sainik and the party is that of love Rather than signing affidavit the Sainiks should be bound by Shiv Bandhan threadKesarkar said that Shinde and his supporters have not celebrated his appointment as chief minister We will not celebrate even tomorrow when he win the floor test We will celebrate only when development takes place in Maharashtra We should not waste time in levelling allegations and counterallegations The twoandahalf years that we lost we have to give it back to the people he saidFadnavis becoming part of the cabinet has given strength to the governance he saidThe projects which he Fadnavis had started during his stint as CM in 201419 would be completed We will always remain a proHindutva party he saidAbout the expansion of the Shinde cabinet he said that the decision would be taken after the floor test scheduled to be held on July 4Shinde and Fadnavis will consult with top BJP leaders in Delhi to take the decision he addedThackeray in a letter dated June 30 removed Shinde from the post of Shiv Sena leader accusing him of indulging in antiparty activities Shinde had taken oath as the state chief minister on the same day BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as his deputyThackeray stepped down as the chief minister on June 29 over a week after Shinde launched a rebellion against the party Majority of MLAs sided with him which led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA government led by ThackerayWith inputs from PTI