Maharashtra political crisis: Eknath Shinde speaks to MNS chief Raj Thackeray about recent situation

Raj Thackeray and Eknath Shinde. File Pic

Amid political turmoil in Maharashtra, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Monday said that Eknath Shinde spoke to MNS chief Raj Thackeray about the recent political situation in the state.

The MNS leader told news agency ANI that Shinde spoke to Raj Thackeray over the phone twice and also enquired about his health.

"Rebel Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde spoke to MNS chief Raj Thackeray over the phone twice. Shinde spoke to Thackeray about the recent political situation in Maharashtra and enquired about his health," MNS leader told ANI.

A majority of Shiv Sena MLAs have shifted their loyalty to Shinde and are currently camping in Assam's Guwahati city, plunging the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by CM Uddhav Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena, into a crisis.

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The Maharashtra legislature secretariat on Saturday issued 'summons' to 16 of the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, including Shinde, seeking written replies by June 27 evening to complaints seeking their disqualification.

Earlier on Sunday, Shinde, who is currently camping in Assam along with other MLAs, lashed out at the party for allegedly supporting the culprits of the Mumbai bomb blast, Dawood Ibrahim and those responsible for the taking lives of innocent people.

Taking to Twitter the rebel MLA said that is why they took such a decision while adding "it is better to die" than follow such a decision.

"How can Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena support people who had a direct connection with culprits of Mumbai bomb blast, Dawood Ibrahim and those responsible for taking lives of innocent people of Mumbai. That's why we took such a step, it's better to die," Shinde said in a tweet.

He further said the rebel MLAs would consider it their destiny even if they had to die to follow the ideology of Hindutva.

"Even if we have to die to follow the ideology of Hindutva, we will consider it as our destiny," he added.

(With inputs from ANI)