20 January,2024 02:33 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sanjay Raut/ PTI
Shiv Sena (UBT) Sanjay Raut claimed on Saturday that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is sending threats and notices to political leaders interested in joining the Uddhav faction. He also criticised Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar's decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde group as the real Shiv Sena, calling it "completely illegal".
"All the big leaders who wanted to join Shiv Sena (UBT) had ED notices at their homes. Notices are sent, and they are threatened not to go anywhere near Shiv Sena," Raut said while talking to reporters in Mumbai, stated an ANI report.
Criticism on Rahul Narwekar's verdict
Raut also responded to Speaker Rahul Narwekar's decision and said, "The decision given by the Speaker (Rahul Narwekar) about Shiv Sena was completely illegal. We had all the evidence of what we had given to the ECI (Election Commission of India). We had given all the information to the public. We removed their mask and exposed them. After which they became furious and from the next day on, our people started receiving notices from ED and IT."
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In a decision dated January 10, the Maharashtra Speaker cited the Shiv Sena constitution, declaring that the "Shinde faction was the real Shiv Sena when rival factions emerged." Per the ANI report, Narwekar justified his decision saying, "The decision of Paksha Pramukh cannot be taken as a decision of the political party." Raut emphasised that the Speaker's decision contradicted the party's constitution.
Speaker's decision came nearly two years after Thackeray camp first moved disqualification petitions against Shinde and the legislators supporting him under the Tenth Schedule (anti-defection law) of the Constitution.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is set to hear the plea from Uddhav Thackeray's faction on January 22, challenging the Speaker's order to dismiss disqualification pleas against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde faction MLAs. The Thackeray faction has also contested the Speaker's recognition of the Shinde faction as the 'real Shiv Sena' after the party's split in June 2022.
The top court had earlier instructed the Speaker to promptly decide on the pending disqualification petitions against the rebel MLAs, filed by the Shiv Sena party Whip appointed by Uddhav Thackeray, Sunil Prabhu, on June 23, 2022, the report added.
