No Shiva Sena existing, 4 Thackeray MLAs ready to leave: Union minister Rane

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction of Shiv Sena has been chipping away at Uddhav Thackeray faction, leaving behind only a skeleton of a flourishing party.

Now Union Minister Narayan Rane claims that four remaining lawmakers of Uddhav Thackeray showed willingness to cross over to the rival camp.

Rane says Thackeray faction of the Sena is almost finished as it is no longer in existence.

The remaining five to six of the 56 MLAs, he claimed, are on the way out with four of them already in touch with him to join the rival camp, according to a report in India Today.

Just days ago, Nihar Thackeray, the grandson of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, declared support to the Eknath Shinde faction.

He was quoted as saying by PTI that he was supporting chief minister Shinde for taking forward the legacy of his late grandfather.

Nihar Thackeray also expressed willingness to campaign for the upcoming Andheri East Assembly byelection as well as the Mumbai civic body polls.

Nihar is the son of Bindumadhav Thackeray, the eldest son of Bal Thackeray; he is part of Chief Minister Shinde's legal team engaged in fighting for titles of Shiva Sena in the Supreme Court.

After an edgy political drama in the state, Shinde camp formed the government in the state causing a split in Shive Sena.

Afterwards, the Election Commission barred both camps from using the party name and the 'bow and arrow' symbol.

Uddhav Thackeray camp has given the name "Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray" to go with the symbol of "flaming torch".

While The Eknath Shinde-led faction will be called 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena' with the election symbol of 'two swords and a shield' .