Shiv Sena to send notices to rebels; seeks disqualification of four more MLAs

Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant. File pic

Amid the ongoing crisis in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena has sent the names of four more rebel MLAs to the Maharashtra Assembly deputy speaker for initiating action of disqualification against them, a senior leader said.

The party will also issue notices to 16 MLAs of the rebel faction and ask them to respond by Monday, said Sena MP Arvind Sawant here on Friday.

The four legislators whose names were forwarded to the deputy speaker were Sanjay Raymulkar, Chiman Patil, Ramesh Bornare and Balaji Kalyankar, he said.

"Despite issuing a letter to them, none of them attended party meeting on Wednesday evening here in Mumbai," Sawant said.

The party has already given names of 12 MLAs to the deputy speaker including leader of the rebel camp Eknath Shinde, seeking their disqualification.

"Now, only chief minister Uddhav Thackeray can decide about allowing their return to Sena, otherwise party doors are closed for them forever. They have betrayed the saffron flag," Sawant said.

On Friday, the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed Shinde for his betrayal which according to him came even after he had given him every importance, a place of pride and the urban development department that no CM had parted with in the past.

He even dared rebel leader Eknath Shinde and the BJP to try and take away the Shiv Sena cadre and those who vote for the party, and said that BJP want to finish off the Sena.

(With inputs from PTI)