The crucial verdict on the cross-petitions by Shiv Sena factions seeking disqualification of each other's MLAs was announced today by Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, who ruled that the Eknath Shinde-led faction was the "real Shiv Sena. Hitting out at the Assembly Speaker's verdict declaring the CM Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Sena, UBT leaders said it was a "conspiracy" and a "murder of democracy". “It was BJPs dream to finish Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena, but BJP can never do that. Today’s verdict is not a judgement but a conspiracy,” said Sanjay Raut. Narwekar today named Mr Shinde's faction as the "real Shiv Sena", basing his decision on a 1999 version of the party constitution that is with the Election Commission. The version of the constitution given by Thackeray in 2018 is "not on record", he said. The Shinde group had rebelled in June last year, breaking away and forming government with the BJP. On May 11 last year, the Supreme Court ruled that Shinde would continue as the Chief Minister.
Earlier, ahead of the verdict, in the Shiv Sena MLA disqualification case, Shiv Sena (UBT faction) leader Sanjay Raut questioned the timing of an upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Alleging that PM Modi is "well aware" of the verdict in advance, Raut said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is "illegally" running the government. "Match fixing... is going to happen in Maharashtra today at 4 pm. The Maharashtra Chief Minister (Eknath Shinde) is illegally running the government. For us, that is a crime. He is an accused," Raut said at a press conference on Wednesday. He also questioned the timing of the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. "He is scheduled to visit Maharashtra on January 12. He will hold a road show in Nasik. What does it signify? When you know today is the verdict,. PM is still coming to the state after two days. That means PM Modi is well aware of the verdict in advance," he alleged. On December 15, 2023, the Supreme Court extended till January 10 the time for the Speaker to pronounce verdict on disqualification petitions against MLAs including Shinde. The disqualification pleas have been pending since the Maharashtra political crises started. The plea sought direction for the Speaker to decide disqualification petitions within a time-bound manner.