Assam Minister Ashok Singhal Meets Rebel Maharashtra MLAs in Guwahati

Assam cabinet minister Ashok Singhal arrived at Radisson Blu Hotel in Assam's Guwahati to meet rebel Maharashtra MLAs, including Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde on Saturday night.

On Thursday, four more party MLAs reached Guwahati and joined the others who have been camping at Radisson Blu in Guwahati since Wednesday. Notably, Eknath Shinde claims to have the support of 38 MLAs of the 55 Shiv Sena legislators, which is more than two-thirds of the party's strength in the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. It means that they can either leave and form another political party or merge with another without being disqualified from the state assembly.

However, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant claimed that some of the rebel MLAs went to Assam with Eknath Shinde due to pressure and fear and many want to come back.

As rebels continue to camp in Guwahati, some of their offices were vandalised allegedly by Shiv Sena workers in Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, in the executive party meeting of the Shiv Sena in Mumbai on Saturday, the party resolved to take strict action against those who have betrayed the party. Six resolutions were passed in the meeting. The Deputy Speaker of Maharashtra Assembly issued disqualification notice to 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs of Eknath Shinde camp currently staying in Guwahati in Assam. Further, all the 16 MLAs to whom the disqualification notice has been issued are supposed to file their written replies by June 27 (Monday).

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