Uddhav Thackeray slams speaker for meeting CM Eknath Shinde before judgment on Shiv Sena disqualification pleas

Uddhav Thackeray. File Pic

Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday hit out at Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar for meeting Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ahead of his judgment on the petitions seeking disqualification of rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, reported news agency PTI.

Addressing a press conference, Uddhav Thackeray claimed Narwekar's meeting with Shinde on Monday is akin to a "judge meeting a criminal", reported PTI.

Narwekar will give his verdict on Wednesday on the Shiv Sena disqualification pleas against CM Shinde and other MLAs, whose rebellion led to a split in the Shiv Sena in June 2022, reported PTI.

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, reported PTI.

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

"What justice can we expect from him tomorrow," the former CM said, reported PTI.

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.

Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar will on January 10 deliver his verdict on the disqualification petitions against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and several MLAs whose rebellion had split the Shiv Sena in June 2022, Vidhan Bhavan officials said on Monday.

The deadline set by the Supreme Court for delivering the verdict was December 31, 2023 but some days before that, on December 15, the apex court gave a 10-day extension and set January 10 as the new date for a decision.

(With inputs from PTI)