Amid the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra, Nationalist Congress Party leader Jayant Patil on Thursday said his party is "firmly standing with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray" who is battling to retain his office, and said that they will try their best to "save the government".
The remarks came after rebel Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde claimed the support of 42 MLAs with only 13 left in the Uddhav camp.
"We will stand firmly with CM Uddhav Thackeray Ji till the end. We will try our best to save this government," Patil said.
Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that the party is ready to consider exiting the Maha Vikas Aghadi government consisting of Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena, if this is the will of the MLAs.
Reacting to Raut's remark, NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said that every party can decide to go on their own paths, however, if people want to go out, they will find some reason for the same.
"If what Sanjay Raut said is correct...if they (Shiv Sena) want to go on that path (exit MVA) then they should talk to our leader NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Nobody can stop them. Every party can go on their own path," he said.
"If some people want to go out, then they'll somehow find a reason to do that...even in governments run by a single party there can be internal tussles, here there are 3 different parties. There could be differences. That doesn't mean govt should be destabilised," Bhujbal added.
Reposing faith in party chief Sharad Pawar, Bhujbal said that they are with him, and they will fight in the opposition if they are not in power.
"We're in Sharad Pawar-led MVA and are with CM Uddhav Thackeray...if at all we aren't in power, we know how to fight while being in opposition," he said.
Earlier today, Raut said, "MLAs should not communicate from Guwahati. They should come back to Mumbai and discuss all this with CM. We are ready to consider exiting out of MVA if this is the will of all MLAs, but for that, they have to come here and discuss it with the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray".
Raut further claimed that 21 MLAs in Guwahati have contacted Shiv Sena and when they return to Mumbai they will be with the party.
"Uddhav Thackeray will come back to Varsha very soon. 21 MLAs in Guwahati have contacted us and when they return to Mumbai, they will be with us," he added.
NCP leader Jayant Patil tweeted, "Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi is a government established for the development and welfare of Maharashtra. We will stand firmly with Uddhavji Thackeray till the end."
Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and the central leaders are keeping an eye on the developments in the state.
"Our Maharashtra leader Devendra Fadnavis and all our central leaders are keeping an eye on it. He (Devendra Fadanvis) is capable to take a decision in the interest of the state," he told .Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Thursday tweeted a letter addressed to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, and captioned it "This is the sentiment of MLAs".
According to the letter, the Shiv Sena leaders don't have access to the chief minister's residence.
"CM never used to be in the Secretariat, instead, he used to be in Matoshree (Thackeray residence). We used to call people around the CM but they never used to attend our calls. We were fed up with all these things and persuaded Eknath Shinde to take this step," the MLA wrote in the letter.
( With inputs from ANI )
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