Shiv Sena disqualification plea: Sena UBT moves Supreme Court against Shinde-Narwekar meeting ahead of verdict

File Photo

Shiv Sena faction led by former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, objecting to the meeting between Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and state Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar before the verdict on the Shiv Sena disqualification plea.

Thackeray Tuesday said that the affidavit was filed on Monday, newswire PTI reported. Narkwekar is scheduled to deliver the verdict at 4 pm on January 10.

"If the judge (Narwekar) is going to meet the accused, what should we expect from that judge?" Uddhav Thackeray asked, in his media interaction at Matoshree, his residence in suburban Bandra while reacting to the meeting that was held two days ahead of the verdict on Shiv Sena disqualification plea.

Narwekar met Shinde at Varsha, the chief minister's official residence, on Sunday. The two also met in October last year.

Earlier Thackeray hit out at Narwekar for meeting Shinde ahead of his judgment and claimed Narwekar's meeting with Shinde on Monday is akin to a "judge meeting a criminal".

The Supreme Court last month extended the deadline to January 10 for Narwekar to decide on the cross-petitions filed by rival factions of the Shiv Sena seeking disqualification of each other's MLAs

Thackeray said since the SC directed Narwekar in May last year to take a decision on the pleas seeking disqualification of rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, the speaker has met the chief minister twice.

Also read: Sena (UBT) questions legitimacy of Bangladesh election results in 'Saamana'

"What justice can we expect from him tomorrow," the former CM said ahead of the verdict on Shiv Sena disqualification plea on January 10.

In June 2022, Shinde and a number of other MLAs rebelled against then chief minister Thackeray, leading to a split in the Shiv Sena and collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which also comprised the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress.

Cross petitions were filed by the Shinde and Thackeray factions seeking action against each other's MLAs under anti-defection laws.

After the rebellion in June 2022, Shinde became the CM with the Bharatiya Janata Party's support.

In July last year, the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP also joined his government.

The Election Commission had given the 'Shiv Sena' name and 'bow and arrow' symbol to the Shinde-led faction, while the one headed by Thackeray was to be called Shiv Sena (UBT) with a flaming torch as its symbol. (With inputs from agencies)