Aren't Political Parties Relevant, Asks CJI as Team Shinde Terms Uddhav's Issues 'Unnecessary' in SC

Mumbai News Updates: The political developments in Maharashtra have been hitting headlines for long now. Be it the fight over Shiv Sena camps or a controversy started by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, all events have had ramifications.

The Supreme Court is hearing a bunch of petitions related to the formation of Eknath Shinde-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, disqualification of rebel MLAs, and the right over the bow-and-arrow symbol. Chief Justice of India NV Ramana asked the Eknath Shinde camp if there is no relevance of a political party. The question arose after Shinde’s lawyer and senior advocate Harish Salve said that none of issues raised by Uddhav Thackeray’s lawyer are necessary.

“The anti-defection law is not a weapon for a leader who has lost the confidence of his own party members and he’s trying to lock them up,” Salve said. Before the crucial case in the court, a lot happened in the state.

News18 takes a look at some of the key developments in Maharashtra:

• Former minister and Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aaditya, who held a rally in Karjat late on Tuesday, told News18 that he believes Shiv Sena will get justice as Eknath Shinde-BJP government is “illegal” and “formed by treacherous means”.

• On the other hands, the Thackeray camp has filed a rejoinder before Supreme Court, saying that the delinquent MLAs, including Shinde, came the apex court with “unclean hands”.

• In Pune’s Katraj Chowk, vehicle of former minister Uday Samant, who switched his allegiance to Shinde, was allegedly attacked by some unidentified people while passing by a location where Aaditya Thackeray held a public meeting. In a video doing rounds on social media, a mob can be seen trying to gherao Samant’s vehicle and raising slogans like “traitors” against the MLA and CM Shinde.

• Reacting to the attack, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde called it an “act of cowardice”. “There is no bravery in pelting stone and fleeing. It is our responsibility to maintain law and order. If somebody tries to disrupt law and order, strict action would be taken against them. Everyone should maintain peace, but still, if someone disrupts peace, the police will take its own action,” he said.

• News agency ANI quoted Samant as saying, “It’s a condemnable incident. Politics in Maharashtra doesn’t happen like this. They (attackers) had baseball sticks and stones. CM’s convoy was going ahead of me. Police will investigate whether they were following me or CM (Eknath Shinde).”

• Police have arrested Shiv Sena’s Pune city unit president and four others in connection with the alleged attack on the party’s rebel MLA. A case had been registered against over 15 persons under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including attempt to murder, at the Bharti Vidyapeeth police station late Tuesday night.

• A case of “criminal intimidation” has been registered against Anand Dighe’s nephew Kedar Dighe (42), who was recently appointed by Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray as the new Thane district chief of the party. The N M Joshi Marg police in Central Mumbai booked Dighe under section 506 of the Indian Penal Code (criminal intimidation). The police said that Dighe’s friend Rohit Kapoor was booked under section 376 (rape) of the IPC, and the Sena leader was booked for allegedly threatening the complainant in order to ensure she did not file a case.

• Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar will meet CM Shinde and deputy Devendra Fadnavis in Mantralaya today. He will demand and press for immediate compensation and financial assistance to flood affected areas.

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