Eknath Shinde said that he would not leave the Shiv Sena and would carry forward the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray as the rebel MLAs left for Guwahati.
Almost 24 hours after the Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde along with 40 MLAs of the Maharashtra Cabinet were holed up in a hotel in Surat, Gujarat, they left for Guwahati in the early hours of Wednesday morning on a special flight.
This move came shortly after a telephonic conversation with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Shinde, head of the Shiv Sena’s rebel MLA group spoke exclusively to India Today at the Surat airport about the political crisis that has left the ruling alliance in the state- the Maha Vikas Aghadi government- scrambling to stay in power.
When asked about whether he had left Shiv Sena, Shinde told India Today, “I have not left Shiv Sena, I am going ahead with Balasaheb’s Hindutva and his ideology.”
Eknath Shinde further said, “We have not thought of going anywhere. We are not going to join any party. We will remain in Shiv Sena. We are shiv sainika of Balasaheb Thackeray. We will take ahead the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighesaheb. Jai Maharashtra. Garva se kaho hum hindu hai.[Say proudly that I am a Hindu] – Balasaheb Thackeray has taught us. On the matter of hindutva, we will never compromise, not even for power. We will not leave Shiv Sena.”
The other MLAs in the rebel camp also echoed Shinde’s sentiments.
All the MLAs along with Shinde reached Guwahati on Wednesday morning.
Timeline
11.30pm: Three buses reached the hotel in Surat where Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde and other MLAs were staying.
1am: MLAs still inside the hotel but not yet out, buses lined up.
2am: Many MH number plate vehicles are seen going inside the hotel. Extra security deployed.
2.15 am: Rebel Shiv Sena MLAs leave Surat hotel. Over 15 escort vehicles of Surat police and three buses in which Shiv Sena MLAs are present.
In 5 minutes, all the MLAs reached Surat airport and Eknath Shinde gave an interview and left.
At the end, BJP leader from Mumbai, Mohit Kamboj was seen getting down from the bus, following which he entered the Surat airport.
