Mumbai: As the crisis for Uddhav Thackeray’s government deepened on Friday, police in Maharashtra went on high alert in the evening after getting information that workers of the Shiv Sena might “take to the streets in large numbers”.
This came a short while after an emotional Uddhav Thackeray told party workers during a virtual meeting that the rebels were “trying to break” the Sena. “Why would I feel bad about those who have left? Without using the names of Shiv Sena and Thackeray, how will you move ahead,” Mr Thackeray said, targeting the rebel MLAs who have deserted him.
Latest developments suggest that the rebel leader, Eknath Shinde, has the critical number of MLAs, 37, required to split the Shiv Sena in the assembly without falling foul of the anti-defection law.
All Police stations in Maharashtra, especially those in Mumbai, have been ordered to remain on high alert. Police received info that Shiv Sainiks can take to the streets in large numbers. To ensure that peace prevails, Police have been asked to remain alert: Maharashtra Police pic.twitter.com/V8QGL0NRYR
— ANI (@ANI) June 24, 2022
Earlier in the day, the Shiv Sena came out aggressively against the Shinde camp’s allegation that the party had deserted Hindutva as its ideology. Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said in an interview with NDTV, “Which Hindutva teaches you to stab your party, which is like a family, in the back?”. She said ideology is being used as an alibi for the “BJP-backed” rebellion.
