Sena Rebel: “If our faction isn’t recognized…”

• Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, has become the deciding factor in the fight for control of the Shiv Sena.
• Sena MLA Eknath Shinde has named MLA Deepak Kesarkar as the spokesperson of his new faction.
• Mr. Thackeray faction has identified Shinde as the leader of a group of nearly 40 rebel MLAs.

Who will continue the legacy of Bal Thackeray, the party’s founder and the father of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, has become the deciding factor in the fight for control of the Shiv Sena.

Sena MLA Eknath Shinde has named MLA Deepak Kesarkar as the spokesperson of his new faction, which they have dubbed “Shiv Sena Balasaheb” to mean the “ideal Shiv Sena as envisaged by Bal Thackeray.” The Mr. Thackeray faction has identified Shinde as the leader of a group of nearly 40 rebel MLAs holed up at a hotel in distant, BJP-ruled Assam.

The only entity that may grant the faction recognition is the Election Commission.

“We have the numbers, but we respect Chief Uddhav Thackeray and our faction won’t merge with any other party,” Mr. Kesarkar said to reporters in Guwahati today. BJP sources told NDTV that close aides of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma are assisting with logistics but are avoiding taking part in any internal discussions of the rebel Sena MLAs.

According to Mr. Kesarkar, the dissident MLAs won’t leave the Sena but instead would continue “Balasaheb’s” tradition. “If recognition isn’t provided to our faction, we will go to court and show our numbers,” he added.

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Reporters questioned whether the faction or the Shiv Sena had a direct connection to the Chief Minister’s father’s legacy, and Mr. Kesarkar responded, “The faction would not be a true representation of the party.” “There is a constitutional conflict here. We won’t be abandoning Balasaheb’s philosophy. Nothing unlawful or improper was done by us.”

We agree that there cannot be a Shiv Sena without Uddhav Thackeray, Mr. Kesarkar said to NDTV when asked if the rebels desire a Shiv Sena that is Thackeray-muft.

Uddhav Thackeray criticized the renegade MLAs for utilizing Bal Thackeray’s name in their battle of perceptions during a party meeting today.

“Some people want me to say something, but I’ve previously declared that I won’t meddle in the affairs of the renegade MLAs; they are free to do as they like. However, no one should use Balasaheb Thackeray’s name in their decision “added the chief minister.

According to disqualification letters issued against the dissident MLAs by Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal, the next major development in the Maharashtra crisis is anticipated to occur on Monday. But in order to bypass Mumbai, the rebels can establish a new front.

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Two independent MLAs from the opposing camp submitted a no-confidence petition against Mr. Zirwal, but he rejected it as well because it was delivered via anonymous email rather than the Deputy Speaker’s office, according to unidentified sources quoted by news agency PTI.