Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray spoke to rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde over phone even as the political crisis deepens in the state. According to reports, during the 10-minute long call, Shinde stood firm on his stand that the Sena should restore its alliance with the BJP.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi government is on the brink of collapse after Shinde, along with 21 MLAs, rebelled against the party and went incommunicado soon after the results of the Legislative Council polls were announced on Monday night. It is learnt that Shinde and his supporters are camping in a five-star hotel in Surat.
The conversation between the chief minister and Shinde was held after two Sena leaders met the rebel leader at the Surat hotel on Tuesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, leaders both the NCP and the Congress met Thackeray at his residence in the evening to discuss the political situation in the state. The two parties have maintained that there is no threat to the MVA government.
According to reports, Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat and NCP leader Jayant Patil attended the meeting.
Shinde has been removed as the Shiv Sena group leader in the Assembly and replaced with Ajay Choudhury.
Sena MP Sanjay Raut told media that 14 to 15 party MLAs are with Shinde in Surat in BJP-ruled Gujarat. He also alleged that two of them, including Nitin Deshmukh, have been beaten up and he has suffered a heart attack.
Earlier in the day, Shinde took Twitter and said he will never "cheat for power" and abandon the teachings of party founder late Bal Thackeray. "We are staunch Shiv Sainiks of Balasaheb who gave us lessons on Hindutva. We will never cheat for power and will never abandon the teachings of Balasaheb and Anand Dighe for power," Shinde tweeted in Marathi.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar alleged that a third attempt was being made to pull the MVA government down but expressed confidence that Chief Minister Thackeray will be able to handle the "internal issue" of the Shiv Sena.
Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil, however, ruled out any link of his party to the ongoing political developments but also said the BJP would "definitely consider" a proposal if it comes from Shinde to form a government.
In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, Shiv Sena has 55 MLAS, NCP (53), Congress (44), Bahujan Vikas Agahdi (three), Samajwadi Party, AIMIM and Prahar Janshakti Party two each. MNS, CPI-M, PWP, Swabhimani Paksha, Rashtriya Samaj Party, Jansurajya Shakti Party and Krantikari Shetkari Paksha have one MLA each. There are 13 independent MLAs.
The opposition BJP has 106 MLAs.