News LIVE: Rebel MLAs name group after Balasaheb, say they are in Sena

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9:55 PM

Shiv Sena Rebel Eknath Shinde met BJP leaders in Gujarat Friday night: Report

Shiv Sena rebel MLA Eknath Shinde and the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis met in Gujarat's Vadodara last night to discuss possible government formation in Maharashtra, NDTV.com reported quoting sources. Home Minister Amit Shah was also in Vadodara last night, said the website. Shinde reportedly came to Vadodara on a special flight from Assam's Guwahati last night.

9:51 PM

Shiv Sena workers loyal to Thackerays protest against rebels

The ongoing battle for the control of the Shiv Sena between party president Uddhav Thackeray and rebel leader Eknath Shinde played out on the streets of Maharashtra on Saturday with the cadres loyal to the Thackerays staging protests against the rebels by defacing their banners, hurling stones, and vandalising the office of an MLA in various parts of the state. The Mumbai police has deployed its personnel at the city-based offices of various political parties and leaders, including ministers, MLAs and MPs, and their residences, PTI reported.

6:33 PM

Rebel Sena MLAs say they haven't quit party

Rebel Shiv Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde said in Guwahati they have not left the party, but will act as a separate group in the Maharashtra Assembly under the name Shiv Sena (Balasaheb). In Mumbai, the Sena executive passed a resolution that no outfit should use the name of the party’s late founder Bal Thackeray.

5:45 PM

Shiva Sena executive says no other outfit can use Bal Thackeray's name

The Shiv Sena’s national executive on Saturday passed a resolution authorising Maharashtra Chief Minister and party chief Uddhav Thackeray to take action against "those who have betrayed the party", but refrained from taking immediate action against rebel leader Eknath Shinde. The Shinde faction, which is camping in Guwahati, said earlier it has named itself as `Shiv Sena (Balasaheb)'.

5:37 PM

5 men detained for throwing stones at office of Eknath Shinde's son's office

As many as five Shiv Sena supporters were detained on Saturday in Thane district for throwing pelting stones at the office of Shrikant Shinde, Lok Sabha MP from Kalyan and son of party rebel leader Eknath Shinde. The incident took place at the Gol Maidan office in Ulhasnagar of the LS MP at 1pm and a video of it had gone viral on social media soon after, PTI reported.

5:14 PM

Shinde accuses Thackeray govt of withdrawing security of rebel MLAs

Dissident Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Saturday alleged that the Maharashtra government has withdrawn the security cover from the residences of 38 party rebels, including himself, and their families, and dubbed the action as "political vendetta", although Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil denied any such move. Shinde, who is currently camping in Guwahati along with the rebel legislators, tweeted a letter signed by him and other MLAs that is addressed to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Walse Patil.

3:39 PM

Prohibitory orders issued in Thane

Thane collector Rajesh Narvekar has issued prohibitory orders in the district against the backdrop of Shiv Sena strongman from the region Eknath Shinde rebelling against his party, PTI reported quoting an official Saturday. The order, which will be in force till June 30, prohibits processions, display of posters and placards etc, as well as possession and carrying of lethal weapons, the official added.

3:28 PM

Shive Sena moves Election Commission against Eknath Shinde faction

"While we cannot prevent Shri Eknath Shinde and his cohorts from establishing any political party they wish to, however we strongly object to any such party being created in the name of or using the names "Shiv Sena' or 'Balasaheb'," Uddhav Thackeray faction wrote, according to NDTV.com

2:59 PM

Amid Maha crisis, Uddhav chairs Shiv Sena's national executive meet; all eyes on action against rebels

The national executive meeting of the Shiv Sena is underway at the party's headquarters in the city on Saturday, where Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who is also the party president, is expected to take a decision on the action against the rebel MLAs, including Eknath Shinde.

Thackeray was supposed to chair the meeting virtually from his residence "Matoshree". However, he reached the party headquarters - Shiv Sena Bhavan - at Dadar in central Mumbai.

The party's national executive is expected to authorise Thackeray to take decisions regarding the organisation in view of the rebellion by Shinde. Along with Shinde, another disgruntled party leader and former minister Ramdas Kadam, is expected to face action. Both of them are members of national executive. Kadam's son MLA Yogesh Kadam has joined the rebel camp in Guwahati.

2:44 PM

Shinde-led rebel MLAs name their faction 'Shiv Sena Balasaheb'

The Shiv Sena rebel MLAs of Eknath Shinde faction on Saturday named their group as 'Shiv Sena Balasaheb'.

 

Former Minister of State for Home and rebel MLA Deepak Kesarkar told ANI that Eknath Shinde-led MLAs formed a new group 'Shiv Sena Balasaheb'.

 

The decision comes at a time when Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was holding the executive meeting of Shiv Sena. The Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government continues to be in a combative mode with 38 of its rebel MLAs are camping in Guwahati.