Floor Test Likely This Weekend; SC Relief for Shinde-led Rebel Camp | Top Points on Maha Potboiler

The Supreme Court on Monday, granting relief to Shiv Sena strongman Eknath Shinde and 15 rebel MLAs, put in abeyance disqualification proceedings against them. The top court also gave time till July 12 to file replies to disqualification notices served to them by the deputy speaker of the Maharashtra assembly.

Meanwhile, sources said the floor test is likely to take place by this weekend. Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari is likely to call an assembly session and appoint a pro-tem speaker before the date of the next SC hearing, they added.

Minister Aaditya Thackeray, the only Sena MLA left in the cabinet, gave fiery speeches through the day where he called for “morality test” for the rebels instead of a floor test in the assembly. He said the rebel MLAs were trying to make a run for it and the public will soon be responding to this “betrayal”.

Shinde, on the other hand, was ecstatic with the SC hearing. He said the relief provided to him and the other MLAs was a victory of the Bal Thackeray’s Hindutva.

Shinde and 15 other rebel Shiv Sena MLAs have moved the top court challenging the disqualification notices issued by the Deputy Speaker under the Tenth Schedule of Constitution on grounds including defection. Besides Shinde, the other 15 MLAs are Bharat Gogawale, Prakash R Surve, Tanhaji Jaywant Savant, Mahesh S Shinde, Abdul Sattar, Sandeepan A Bhumre, Sanjay P Sirhsat, Yamini Y Jadhav, Anil K Babar, Latabai C Sonawane, Ramesh N Bornare, Sanjay B Raimulkar, Chimanrao R Patil, Balaji D Kalyankar and Balaji P Kinilkar.

Here is all the action on the ongoing political crisis:

1. The floor test in the Maharashtra assembly is likely to be held by this weekend. Sources said governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari is likely to hold an assembly session to appoint the pro-tem speaker.
2. According to sources, two rebel MLAs are likely to travel to Mumbai from Guwahati in the next two days to meet Koshyari. They want to brief him on the situation and inform him about the loss of confidence in the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government.
3. The SC granted relief to the Eknath Shinde-led rebel camp and kept in abeyance disqualification proceedings against rebel leader Shinde and 15 other MLAs, who had been served notices by the deputy speaker of the Maharashtra assembly. The top court also gave them time till July 12 to file replies to the notices. “Meanwhile as an interim measure, the time granted by the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly to the petitioners or other similarly placed Members of the Legislative Assembly to submit their written submissions up to today by 5.30 pm is extended till July 12, 2022,” the court said.
4. The apex court sought responses from the state government and others on pleas questioning the legality of disqualification notices. A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala also refused to pass an interim order on a plea stating there should not be any floor test in the assembly. To this, the court said the state government can always approach it in case of any illegality.
5. The SC also directed the Maharashtra government to protect the life, liberty, and property of 39 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs and their family members. Following this, the court recorded a statement of the government that it had taken adequate measures in this regard. The matter was posted for further hearing on July 11.
6. In other news, sources said Parbhani MLA Rahul Patil was also set to join the Shinde camp, while two rebel MLAs will be visiting Mumbai to meet the governor and brief him about the situation. They are also likely to inform him of the loss of confidence in the current government.
7. Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray visited party MLAs at a hospital in Navi Mumbai, after they were injured in a clash with supporters of the Shinde camp two days ago in Karjat, Raigad. He also gave some fiery speeches through the test where he called for “morality test” for the rebels rather than a floor test. He blamed Shinde and the rebels for taking advantage of CM Uddhav’s ill health to launch their rebellion. He also said some MLAs were being “held captive” Shinde. “Some people have been kidnapped and some have been bluffed by the rebel MLAs. I would like to tell these rebels that if they have the courage, then resign and come again elected,” he said.
8. He also slammed the rebels for going to Assam capital Guwahati when the state was being ravaged by floods. “They (rebel MLAs) went to Guwahati where there’s a flood situation and many people are without shelter and food. They (rebel MLAs) are enjoying there. Bill for meals (for them) in one day is Rs 9 lakh, they are taking private choppers and enjoying there. Shame on them,” he added.
9. The Maharashtra BJP held a core committee meeting at the residence of Devendra Fadnavis, the leader of opposition in the legislative assembly. After its conclusion, senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said the state’s political situation was assessed after SC order. “The state’s political situation was assessed and discussed. Eknath Shinde said his faction is the original Shiv Sena, this too was discussed. We discussed what role should we (BJP) assume in future,” he said.
10. Rebel MLA Deepak Kesarkar said this was a fight for the Shiv Sena’s self respect. He took a dig at Sena MP Sanjay Raut by calling him the “blue-eyed boy of NCP”. “This is not a rebellion but a fight for Shiv Sena’s self-respect… I request party chief Uddhav Thackeray to consider and make a new alliance with the BJP. The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is in line with the verdict given by the people of Maharashtra. Sanjay Raut is NCP’s blue-eyed boy. You may succeed in distancing Shiv Sena from BJP but if you are trying to distance Shiv Sena from Hindutva, how do you expect us to tolerate it?” he asked.

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