After Sanjay Raut predicts govt collapse, Uddhav Thackeray says election can happen ‘at anytime’

Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that elections in the state could ‘happen at any time’ and his party is prepared for it.

He made this remark hours after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut predicted that the current Maharashtra government under chief minister Eknath Shinde will collapse within the ‘next 15-20 days’.

“Elections can happen at any time, even today, we are prepared. The matter is in Supreme Court, and we are hoping that the verdict will be in our favour. After that, anything can happen at anytime,” Thackeray said while addressing a rally at Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district.

He further asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to clarify if an election under CM Shinde will be contested next year even when the state BJP chief confirmed that the Shinde-faction will be alloted only 48 seats out of total 288. “State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule has said that Shinde’s party will be allotted only 48 seats (out of the total 288). Will the BJP fight the election under a person contesting only 48 seats?” he asked.

Thackeray had been ousted from his chief ministerial position last year after a faction of rebel leaders led by Eknath Shinde from erstwhile Shiv Sena joined hands with the BJP and made a coalition government in the state, toppling the earlier Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. As the rift between both sides of Shiv Sena widened, the Thackeray-led faction moved the Supreme Court earlier this year. Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) recognised the Shinde-faction as the real Shiv Sena and gave them the poll symbol of ‘bow and arrow’ after it attempted to allocate new names and symbols to both groups.

Referring to CM Shinde and other rebel leaders, Thackeray said his party and supporters would ensure that ‘traitors’ are politically finished. “We will see to it that you are finished. We have cleansed the blot on the state created due to the treachery. Maharashtra is the land of brave people and not traitors,” he said.

Speculations are high about a realignment in the state’s party coalitions. Many are convinced that National Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar will soon jump ship from MVA and join BJP’s hand. However, party chief Sharad Pawar earlier insisted that no such discussions happened within the party. The NCP constitutes one-third of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), with Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress being the other two partners in the tripartite alliance.