How are Thackeray MLAs Still Qualified? Shinde Camp Challenges Speaker's Ruling in High Court

Mumbai: In a fresh escalation of the ongoing political battle in Maharashtra, the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court, challenging the state assembly speaker's decision not to disqualify MLAs loyal to Uddhav Thackeray. The petition, filed by Shinde camp chief whip Bharat Gogawale, runs 645 pages and argues that the speaker's ruling was "flawed" and should be "quashed."

At the heart of the petition lies the contentious question of who represents the "real" Shiv Sena. The Shinde camp contends that their victory in the recent Supreme Court case establishes their claim to the party's name and symbol. Therefore, they argue, the 14 Thackeray-backed MLAs who continue to defy their whip should be disqualified for engaging in "anti-party activities."

The petition specifically seeks the suspension of these 14 MLAs, potentially tipping the scales in the state assembly where the two factions are locked in a tight battle for control. The high court is expected to hear the petition on January 22, raising the stakes in the already fraught political landscape.