The governing Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde camp is now eyeing the Shiv Sena's ‘pratinidhi sabha’, also known as the representative council. Shinde, who successfully split the party's Lok Sabha parliamentary party of 19 MPs, bringing 12 in his favour, is now looking to split the council, which is the core of the party.
The representative council is Sena’s largest official forum with 282 members that comprises Sena office bearers, party pramukhs and shakha members.
According to a report in The Times of India, the Shinde camp is in touch with 188 members of the council. Shinde wrote to the Election Commission for recognition of his breakaway faction as the real Shiv Sena, and this move could be his way of gaining credibility before the poll body.
According to the Shinde camp, the fresh registration of ‘pratinidhi sabha’ will start at Nandanvan, the CM’s official residence. The rebel side has confirmed that teams have been sent to different districts of Maharashtra for this process.
Sena MP Vinayak Raut and a member of the Uddhav Thackeray camp, has claimed that all MPs and national executives are with Uddhav.
Published 22 July 2022, 06:49 IST