As rebels move closer to topple MVA, Uddhav makes another emotional appeal

With Eknath Shinde's rebel camp inching closer to toppling the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray issued yet another emotional appeal to the mutineers to return and iron out issues by sitting across the table.

“As Shiv Sena party chief and family head, I am still worried about you. Come here for a dialogue, through dialogue we can sort out differences,” Thackeray said in a brief statement issued through the Shiv Sena party office.

The appeal by Thackeray comes a day after the rebel group invoked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that both BJP and Shiv Sena were growing under his leadership and called upon Thackeray to break away from NCP-Congress and uphold the ideals of late Balasaheb Thackeray.

Thackeray’s son and Yuva Sena President Aaditya Thackeray and Rajya Sabha members Sanjay Raut and Anil Desai said that 20-odd legislators are in touch with them in Mumbai and hoped for their return.

Also read: Why does Shinde rebellion hit so hard? A look at Shiv Sena's history

Uddhav’s appeal did not seems to impress the rebels, as Shinde tweeted: “On one hand your son and spokesperson called the revered Balasaheb's Shiv Sainiks as pigs, muck, dogs, buffaloes, illiterates, dead bodies and talked of their fathers… and, on the other hand, making a call to save the anti-Hindutva MVA, and trying to get back the very same MLAs.. what does this mean?”

Meanwhile, top leaders of NCP and Congress met separately to discuss the emerging situation and in the weekly Cabinet meeting extended support to Thackeray and asked him not to put in his papers.

Leader of Opposition and two-time chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has airdashed to New Delhi to hold deliberations with BJP President Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The BJP’s top brass has advised Fadnavis to tread cautiously and not to hasten any move without weighing pros and cons. Shinde may also be planning to return to Mumbai and make the next move.

Also read: BJP's Fadnavis meets Governor Koshyari, seeks floor test

The Prahar Janshakti Party, which has two MLAs and is led by junior minister Bachchu Kadu, is expected to move a no-confidence motion against the MVA government.

To escape the anti-defection law and have a smooth merger with a political party, the rebel leadership is in touch with MNS President Raj Thackeray, whose party has one MLA. Raj, the estranged cousin of Uddhav, however, has not yet okayed the move.

In the appeal, Thackeray said, “You have been stuck in Guwahati for the last few days. Every day new information is coming out about you, many of you are also in touch. You are still in Shiv Sena. The family members of some of you MLAs have also contacted me and conveyed their feelings to me. I respect your feelings as the head of Shiv Sena's family. Get rid of the confusion, there will be a definite way out, we will sit together and find a way out of it. Please don't fall prey to any tall promises.’’

Shinde on Tuesday challenged the party leadership in Mumbai to name the MLAs who are in touch with them.

“They are spreading misinformation and trying to mislead people,” Shinde told reporters at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati.

“We are Shiv Sainiks. We are followers of Balasaheb Thackeray. We are taking his Hindutva ahead,” he said, adding that the 50 MLAs camping in Guwahati are there because of their own wish.

Shinde said spokesperson Deepak Kesarkar would brief the media from time to time. “We will come to Mumbai, whenever the next step is taken we will inform,” he said.

Reacting to the day's developments, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said: “Shinde has not contacted us. The BJP does not need to prove the majority, and, as of now, we are waiting for MVA to declare that they don't have numbers,” he said.