Maha Crisis: Moral Test Should Happen Before Floor Test, Says Aaditya Thackeray on Shiv Sena Rebels

Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray on Monday said those Shiv Sena MLAs who had rebelled against the party will have to face the music at some point. The MVA ruled government, led by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, has been plunged into a political crisis due to a revolt by Sena strongman Eknath Shinde and 39 other MLAs.

Expressing confidence that the MVA government will not fall, Aaditya said the rebels should not try to run. “A moral test should happen before the floor test (in the legislative assembly),” he told News18, adding that the public will respond to such a massive “betrayal”.

After higher and technical education minister Uday Samant joined the rebel camp on Sunday, Aaditya was the only MLA from the party serving in the cabinet. “It is his (Uday Samant’s) decision. But he will come before us someday, he will have to look us in the eye someday. Let’s see,” he added.

Earlier in the day, nine rebel ministers were stripped of their portfolios for ease of administration, as per an official statement. Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday stripped nine rebel ministers, who are camping in Guwahati, of their portfolios. An official statement said the portfolios of these ministers have been handed over to other ministers in the Thackeray-led government for ease of administration.

After the rebellion, the Sena now has four cabinet ministers, including chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya, Anil Parab, and Subhash Desai. Barring Aaditya, the rest three are MLCs. Samant’s key portfolio of higher education has now been given to Aaditya.

Responding to the summons by the Enforcement Directorate to Sena MP Sanjay Raut, Aaditya said, “This is not politics, this has now become a circus.”

Earlier, the Supreme Court granted relief to rebel leader Shinde and 15 other MLAs, who were served disqualification notices by the deputy speaker of the Maharashtra assembly, by keeping in abeyance the proceedings against them and giving them time till July 11 to file replies to the notices. The top court refused to pass any interim order on the plea of the state government that there should not be any floor test in the assembly and said they cannot always approach it in case of illegality.

A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala directed the government to protect the life, liberty, and property of 39 rebel MLAs and their family members. Following which, it also recorded the statement of Maharashtra’s counsel that adequate steps have been taken in this regard. The matter has been posted for further hearing on July 11.

(With PTI inputs)

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