Surat: Maharashtra cabinet minister Eknath Shinde left Surat on a chartered flight along with Shiv Sena MLAs, angry with the party. Before boarding the flight, Eknath Shinde said that the Shiv Sena MLAs have not revolted against the party, but their only desire is to forge an alliance with the opposition BJP.
Shinde said at Surat airport, “I and Shiv Sena MLAs want Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to form the government in alliance with the BJP, I have not left the party.”
Shinde said he held talks with Uddhav Thackeray and raised slogans of ‘Jai Maharashtra and proudly say we are Hindus’.
Shinde said that the Shiv Sena MLAs have full faith in the ideology laid down by the late Balasaheb Thackeray, the founder of the party. He has said that Shiv Sena MLAs have not rebelled against the party.
Shiv Sena MLA Nitin Deshmukh, who was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday after complaining of chest pain and uneasiness, was seen going to the boarding counter of SpiceJet airline.
According to sources, the number of rebel MLAs has reached 37. Two to three more MLAs may reach Guwahati directly on Wednesday.
The rebel Shiv Sena MLAs were taken by the police to Surat airport under security cover.
After completing all the formalities, the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs boarded the aircraft with a capacity of 200 passengers. The boarding process was going on till 4 am on Wednesday.
