Questions asked by rebel faction during disqualification hearing repetitive, says Sena (UBT) leader

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai. Pic/X@ianildesai

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai on Wednesday claimed that the questions put by the other side to his party's chief whip Sunil Prabhu during the disqualification proceedings of rebel Sena MLAs were repetitive.

Sanjay Shirsat, spokesperson of the Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, hit back saying that Prabhu's responses were unsatisfactory.

Prabhu was cross-examined by the lawyers of the rebel Sena MLAs, including senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, for the second day during the hearing before Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar. The cross-examination will continue on Thursday.

Talking to reporters later, Desai said his party was very clear that the decision on the disqualification of rebel MLAs has to be delivered by December 31 as directed by the Supreme Court.

"The questions were repetitive and the same question was rephrased. Pinpointed questions should be asked (to Prabhu), and the answers too will be pinpointed," Desai said.

"We are very clear that the verdict should be out by December 31," he added.

Questions were raised about the validity of the whip issued by Prabhu, but all were "unsuccessful", Desai said. The Sena (UBT) is seeking to disqualify the Shinde group MLAs for 'disobeying' the whip.

Shirsat told reporters that Prabhu's replies were "not satisfactory."

"He could not give clear answers about how many people he issued the whip to on June 20 and 21, 2022 (when 40 Sena MLAs revolted against Uddhav Thackeray and eventually toppled the state government led by him).

Desai said the Speaker's final ruling would be very crucial for democracy.

The Supreme Court last month had directed Narwekar to decide the disqualification pleas filed by both factions of the Shiv Sena against the MLAs of each other by December 31.

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