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Uddhav offers to quit
Uddhav Thackeray
Breakaway faction elects Shinde as SSLP leader
Mumbai: A day after the ruling Maha Vilas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra plunged into a political crisis triggered by Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde's rebellion, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, in an address to the state on Wednesday, said he would step down if the disgruntled MLAs come forward and demand so.
In a 17-minute-long webcast, Thackeray further questioned the support from his own party saying: "NCP, Congress saying they don't want me is acceptable and expected. But, if my own people don't want me, what can be done?" He said he was ready to give up the post of Shiv Sena president as well if Shiv Sainiks feel that he isn't capable of heading the party.
"Why make statements from Surat and other places? Come and tell me on my face that I am incompetent to handle the posts of Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president. I will resign immediately. I will keep my resignation letter ready and you can come and take it to Raj Bhavan," Thackeray said. He added that he will be happy if another person from Shiv Sena succeeds him as the CM, if he quits. Shinde, the state Urban Development and Public Works Minister, revolted against his party on Monday and showed up in a Surat hotel with over 30 MLAs, including three ministers.
The 34 MLAs, who are part of the breakaway faction, passed a resolution appointing Shinde as the leader of the Shiv Sena Legislature Party on Wednesday.
In the resolution, they mentioned that "there is enormous discontent amongst the cadre of the party - Shiv Sena - for forming the government with NCP and Indian National Congress who are ideologically opposed to our party". The resolution also said that party members were unhappy about corruption in the government and administration regarding police postings and cited "corruption by then Home Minister Anil Deshmukh (who is in jail), and sitting minority minister Nawab Malik (who is also in jail for involvement with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim)".
Following the revolt, the Sena had on Tuesday removed Shinde as the party's leader in the state Assembly, replacing him with Shivadi MLA Ajay Choudhari.
Before Shinde's revolt, the Sena had 55 MLAs in the House. The NCP's 53 and Congress's 44 MLAs took the strength of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition to 152. The BJP has 106 MLAs in the current 287-member Assembly.
