Former MP Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil continues to serve the Shiv Sena as its deputy leader, a party functionary said on Sunday, after a news report carried by the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said Patil was not with the party.
“The news report in 'Saamana' was published inadvertently and Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil continues to serve in the party as its deputy leader,” Shiv Sena secretary Vinayak Raut said in a statement.
Patil is the Sena's former MP from Shirur. Last month, MLA Eknath Shinde launched a rebellion against the party. Majority of MLAs sided with him, which led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA-comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) government led by Uddhav Thackeray.
Shinde was on Thursday sworn in as the 20th chief minister of Maharashtra, while BJP stalwart Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the deputy CM. After stepping down as the CM, Thackeray removed Shinde from the post of 'Shiv Sena leader'.