Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik says party should rejoin BJP alliance; leader Sanjay Raut hints at dissolving assembly

Thane: Even as a fissures have grown between a good number of Shiv Sena's MLAs and the party leadership regarding continuing its participation in Maharashtra's MVA alliance, Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik on Wednesday made the sentiments of the BJP-leaning legislators clear, saying that the party should renew ties with the BJP.

Meanwhile, sensing the unfolding crisis, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut in a tweet has hinted that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition may recommend dissolution of the assembly.

In a report related to the situation, Congress leader Kamal Nath told reporters that Uddhav Thackeray has contrated Covid and is holding meeting with cabinet colleagues via video-conferencing.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government has been facing a crisis following a revolt by a section of Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde, and a reported forty-six MLA having flocked first to Gujarat and later on Wednesday to Assam in a huddle for isolating the rest of the ruling alliance.

Sarnaik, the MLA from Thane's Ovala-Majiwada constituency, has been facing a probe by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. He had last year written a letter to Chief Minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, saying the party should team up with the BJP to save its leaders from action by central agencies.

Talking to reporters on Wednesday, Sarnaik said, "I had first mooted the idea that the Shiv Sena should go with the BJP." Sarnaik had in his letter to the CM last year said though the BJP and the Shiv Sena are not allies anymore, their leaders have good relations and the Sena should make use of this.

Notably, the ED had recently attached assets worth over Rs 11 crore of Sarnaik in the money laundering case linked to the National Spot Exchange Limited (NSEL).

A number of politicians and ministers of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, which comprises the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, in the state have faced ED action in the recent past as have Opposition MLAs in other states like Karnataka where Congress leader and state unit president DK Shivkumar faced money laundering charges and was put in jail.

On Wednesday morning, a group of 40 Maharashtra MLAs, led by dissident leader Eknath Shinde, arrived in Guwahati and they were taken to a luxury hotel on the outskirts of the city amid tight security.

(With PTI inputs)