Guwahati: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday following Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who also tested positive for the virus.
“Uddhav Thackeray attended our meeting, but he tested positive for covid. I can’t see him because of this “As he spearheaded attempts to keep the party’s flock together, Mr. Nath informed the media.
According to reports, the Shiv Sena leader is set to hold a meeting of his cabinet via video conferencing.
Maharashtra has plunged deeper into political turmoil as rebel Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde flew to Guwahati in BJP-ruled Assam this morning and claimed he had the support of 40 of the party’s 55 MLAs and six independents.
“Changing parties is not an option. Balasaheb Thackeray’s Hindutva shall be our guide “After reaching Guwahati, Mr. Shinde said.
Although the precise number of dissident Shiv Sena MLAs who boarded the chartered flight from Surat, Gujarat, where they had been camped previously, could not be confirmed, the flight had 89 passengers overall, according to sources cited by news agency PTI.
The Assam State Transport Corporation provided three buses to transport the MLAs to the hotel when they arrived from Surat.
The Shiv Sena, which heads the MVA, has 55 MLAs, followed by allies NCP (53) and the Congress (44) in the 288-assembly where the current simple majority mark is 144.
According to a BJP source, the MLAs were moved to Guwahati on security reasons after being transported from Mumbai to Surat on Tuesday.
Following the rebellion by a group of its MLAs led by Mr. Shinde, the Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra is in trouble.