Maharashtra political crisis: Rebel MLA's supporters-Shiv Sena workers confront each other in Kolhapur; cops avert clash

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Amid the growing political crises in Maharashtra, alert cops in Kolhapur averted a tensed situation after the supporters of rebel Maharashtra minister Rajendra Patil-Yadravkar, who is camping with the Eknath Shinde-led group in Guwahati, and some Shiv Sena workers came face to face with each other on Monday. The Kolhapur police intervened and tried to keep the two groups away from each other to avoid a clash, a senior police official told PTI.

The supporters of Yadravkar, an independent MLA from Shirol in Kolhapur, came out to back him in Jaysingpur town, one of the supporters said. A group of Shiv Sena workers also tried to stage a protest near the spot, according to the PTI.

Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Shailesh Balkawade told PTI that Yadravkar's had supporters gathered outside the MLA's office. The police stopped the Shiv Sena workers, who were approaching the spot, about 200 metres away, he said.

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"Heavy security has been deployed. The police are ensuring the two sides do not clash," Balkawade said.

Many Shiv Sena leaders have so far joined Eknath Shinde's rebel camp and have been camping in a hotel in Assam's Guwahati city.

Majority of the Shiv Sena MLAs have sided with Shinde, plunging the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who heads the Sena, into a crisis.

(with PTI Inputs)