• Should Uddhav Thackeray step down? What issues are on the table at the Maharshtra Assembly?

    Politics
    Should Uddhav Thackeray step down? What issues are on the table at the Maharshtra Assembly?




    Digital Desk: Shiv
    Sena rebel minister Eknath Shinde fled to BJP-ruled Assam after claiming to
    have the support of 40 of the party's 55 MLAs and six independents, throwing
    the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government into a serious political
    crisis. Political unpredictability engulfed the Maharashtra government
    yesterday as Shinde, a former Sena "loyalist," moved to a hotel in
    BJP-ruled Gujarat with 21 MLAs. This occurred a day after the Sena-NCP-Congress
    coalition was left reeling from the MLC elections, in which the BJP won five
    seats and the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party each won two.



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    "Times New Roman"">The dissident MLAs have never before been transported to
    Assam outside of the northeast area. According to sources, the decision was
    made to relocate the rebel MPs from the BJP-ruled state of Gujarat to the Assam
    because the Shiv Sena has no supporters there and the likelihood of a protest
    is slim. 

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    "Times New Roman"">According to a BJP source, the MLAs were moved to Guwahati on security
    reasons after being transported from Mumbai to Surat on Tuesday. Following the
    dissidence of a group of its MLAs led by Shinde, the Shiv Sena-led government
    in Maharashtra is in trouble.



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    ·        
    The majority bar in
    the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is 145, and there are currently
    287 members due to the tragic death of Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke of Mumbai.



     



    ·        
    The MVA has the
    following strengths: Shiv Sena (55), NCP (53) and Congress (44). With the help
    of independents and smaller parties, the controlling alliance has access to
    about 169 MPs.



     



     



    The BJP has 106
    members, and with the help of independents and other parties, it has a total
    strength of about 114.



    In addition to the
    MVA-BJP, there is a sizable 29-member group of MLAs who are independent or
    belong to other parties and who have grown to be crucial to both the government
    and the opposition. As was seen in this month's annual elections for both the
    Rajya Sabha and Maharashtra Legislative Council, the remaining five are
    officially unaffiliated to either group to maintain their "political
    bargaining leverage."



     



    What would occur if  40 Sena MLAs resigned?



    The number of Sena's 55 MLAs will drop to 15 if the 40 dissident
    MLAs led by Minister Eknath Shinde quit. The Maha Vikas Aghadi's strength in
    the House will thereafter drop to 125 after this. As demonstrated by Sanjay
    Raut of Sena and Prithviraj Chavan, Ashok Chavan, and various Congress members,
    among others, the MVA allies have maintained a brave face and that the
    government is not now under danger.