Maharashtra Political Crisis: Requested governor to ask MVA govt to prove its majority, says Devendra Fadnavis

Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Tuesday said he will soon return to Mumbai, and rubbished Shiv Sena's claim that as many as 20 MLAs of his group are in touch with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. Talking to reporters outside the luxury hotel where he and his group of MLAs are lodged since last week, Shinde also said he has support of 50 MLAs.

This is the second cabinet meeting after the revolt began in the Shiv Sena and the first cabinet meeting after 9 rebel ministers were divested of their portfolios

BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar on Tuesday said that they are waiting for Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to declare that they don't have the numbers to prove majority in the state assembly."BJP doesn't need to prove the majority as of now. We are waiting for MVA to declare that they don't have the numbers," he said.Mungantiwar further said that right now the BJP is in wait-and-watch mode."We had clarified yesterday as well that we will hold another core team meeting in the days to come, keeping in mind its necessity - if any. We will deliberate and make a decision. Right now we are in a wait-and-watch mode," the BJP leader added.

I want to clarify that I am still in the Shiv Sena. I support Eknath Shinde’s stand to remove the evil eye of the coalition partners from the Shiv Sena: Samant in video

The BJP is the largest opposition party Maharashtra has had. Devendra Fadnavis is very capable. I advise him as a friend not to enter the pond that has been created in Maharashtra’s politics. Frogs live in the pond. If Fadnavis and his party try to enter that pond, then the reputation of the party, PM Modi and Fadnavis will be harmed. I am sure they will not enter that jump into that pond or hell- Sanjay Raut

Maharashtra CM and deputy CM will not be physically present in the Cabinet meeting today. CM will chair the meeting virtually and Dy CM Ajit Pawar likely to join through video conferencing as he is Covid positive: Sources

BJP has drafted a strategy to topple the MVA government, if a senior politician is to be believed. Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde is likely to land in the city in a day or two and hand over a letter to governor B S Koshyari urging him to call for a floor test on the ground that the MVA government has lost its majority.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday sought more time to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering probe, an official said.The ED had summoned Rajya Sabha member Raut on Tuesday for questioning in the money laundering probe linked to the re-development of a Mumbai 'chawl' and other related financial transactions involving his wife and friends.The development comes as the Shiv Sena battles rebellion from a group of its MLAs, putting a question mark on the future of Maharashtra's Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) governmentRaut was not available on Tuesday due to his planned visit to Alibaug (Raigad district), following which his lawyer reached the ED's office here around 11.15 am to seek some more time, the official said.