Play Was Scripted Long Ago: Kapil Sibal Slams Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Ruling on Shiv Sena Feud

Following the declaration of the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the legitimate Shiv Sena, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal remarked on Thursday that the entire scenario appeared to have been pre-planned, describing it as a staged performance with no viable remedy. Sibal emphasized that what transpired was a scripted spectacle lacking any genuine resolution.

In a post on X, Sibal said, Speaker (as Tribunal): Shindes faction is real Sena. The play was scripted long ago. We watch the farce being played out with no recourse. That is the tragedy of this mother of democracy, the former Union minister said. 

Speaker (as Tribunal) :

Shindes faction is real Sena

The play was scripted long ago

We watch the farce being played out with no recourse

That is the tragedy of this ‘mother of democracy’

— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) January 11, 2024

In a big political win for Shinde, assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Wednesday held that the Shiv Sena faction led by him was the real political party when rival groups emerged in June 2022, and did not disqualify any MLA from the two camps. The recent ruling solidified Shinde's position at the helm, affirming his leadership 18 months after his rebellion. This development has augmented his political influence within the ruling coalition, which comprises the BJP and the NCP (Ajit Pawar group), strategically positioning him for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

In his 105-minute-long reading of the key points of the much-awaited ruling on the cross-petitions by Shiv Sena factions seeking disqualification of each other’s MLAs following a split in the party in 2022, Narwekar also rejected the Uddhav Thackeray faction’s petition to disqualify 16 MLAs of the ruling group, including Shinde.