E Shinde Faction Is "Real Sena", Says Speaker. Setback For Team Thackeray

The game set and match in Maharashtra went in favour of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde today as Speaker Rahul Narwekar declared that his faction was the "real Shiv Sena" and the MLAs of his camp cannot be disqualified.

Uddhav Thackeray did not have the power to remove Eknath Shinde from Shiv Sena and the copy of the party constitution he produced is not with the Election Commission, Mr Narwekar said, while delivering his verdict on disqualification petitions pending for since June last year.

The petitions were filed when the Shiv Sena split and Eknath Shinde, joined hands with the BJP, formed government in Maharashtra, unseating then Chief Minister and Sena chief Mr Thackeray.

Mr Narwekar based his decisions on the version of the constitution available with the Election Commission, saying it will form the basis of deciding on the leadership structure and from there, he would conclude which faction of the Shiv Sena should be considered the real party.