Rahul Narwekar has so much experience of switching parties that this is wrong won't cross his mind: Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut. Pic/PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday targeted Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar saying that he had so much experience of changing parties that the thought that the act of switching sides is wrong or unconstitutional would never cross his mind, reported news agency PTI.

Responding to a question in New Delhi on the ongoing hearing on disqualification pleas pertaining to rebel Sena MLAs, Raut said, "Rahul Narwekar has so much experience of changing parties that the thought of switching from one party to another is wrong or unconstitutional will never come to his mind," reported PTI.

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court directed Narwekar to spell out the timeline within a week for adjudication of the disqualification petitions filed against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena MLAs who tied up with the BJP to form a new government in June 2022, saying apparently nothing had been done so far despite its direction for deciding the pleas within a reasonable time.

Narwekar was earlier with the undivided Shiv Sena, then the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He is currently a BJP MLA representing Colaba in south Mumbai, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, Sena (UBT) leader and former state minister Aaditya Thackeray said the stand of the Speaker should be such that it delivers justice and as per the Constitution, the 40 breakaway MLAs need to be disqualified.

Thackeray was speaking with media in Nagpur ahead of his visit to Madhya Pradesh for the unveiling of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

On Narwekar's stand about disqualification petitions against MLAs in the Shiv Sena under Shinde, Thackeray said, "The stand of the Speaker should be that it does justice keeping in mind the Constitution. As per the Constitution, these 40 people (MLAs) are traitors and accordingly they need to be disqualified," he said.

The Shiv Sena under Uddhav Thackeray split last year after Shinde and 39 MLAs loyal to him broke away from the party. They later sided with the BJP to form the government after the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

Asked if he would campaign in the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, where many areas have a decent population of Marathi-speaking voters, Thackeray said it would depend on the coordination efforts that will take place in the opposition I-N-D-I-A bloc.

Replying to a query if Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest in MP polls, Aaditya Thackeray said, "I think Uddhav Thackeray Saheb will take a decision on this."

(With inputs from PTI)