Maharashtra crisis: After Uddhav Thackeray's resignation, all eyes now on BJP - 10 points

Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray resigned from the post of Chief Minister of Maharashtra ahead of floor test, which was supposed to take place today (Thursday, June 30). But with Thackeray stepping down, the political landscape of Maharashtra changed. Here are 10 key developments from Maharashtra's political crisis.

1) Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray submitted his resignation to state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in Raj Bhavan on Wednesday night. The Governor accepted the resignation and asked Uddhav Thackeray to continue as CM until an alternate arrangement is made.

2) Thackeray himself drove to Raj Bhavan and was accompanied by his son Aditya Thackeray. He briefly waved his hand as he submitted the resignation. Thackeray had made the announcement about his resignation minutes after the Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed floor test in the Maharashtra assembly on Thursday.

3) The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave its go-ahead for a floor test in Maharashtra Assembly as it refused to stay the state Governor's decision which was challenged by Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu."We are not staying tomorrow's floor test," the Supreme Court bench had said on Wednesday.

4) BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde will now decide the next court of action, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said on Wednesday night.

5) Several BJP legislators and senior leaders gathered at the residence of former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai following the resignation of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Many leaders of the BJP, including state unit president Chandrakant Patil, congratulated each other on the collapse of the Shiv Sena-led MVA government.

6) Uddhav Thackeray offered prayers at a temple in Mumbai after submitting his resignation as Maharashtra Chief Minister to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Wednesday night. Uddhav Thackeray was accompanied by sons Aaditya and Tejas Thackeray at the temple. 

 

Mumbai | Uddhav Thackeray offered prayers at a temple with sons Aaditya and Tejas after submitting his resignation as Maharashtra CM to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari pic.twitter.com/QyMy5Ehshf

— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2022

7) Now with no requirement of a floor test post-Uddhav's resignation, BJP chief Chandrakant Patil urged the rebel Shiv Sainiks who were to reach Mumbai today to not come and arrive directly on the day of oath-taking.

8) The rebel MLAs reached Goa from Guwahati on Wednesday night. They reached the Dabolim airport from where they headed towards a five-star hotel in Panaji. Tight security was provided to them while travelling in coaches from the Dabolim airport to the hotel in Panaji.

9) Before flying to Goa, Eknath Shinde told reporters at the airport that the members of his group were the "real Shiv Sainiks" and objected to being called Shiv Sena rebels. "We are Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sainiks. We will take forward the Hindutva ideology," he said.

10) The focus will now be on Raj Bhavan in the next few days. BJP leaders are expected to meet the Governor to stake claim to form the next government in the state. The swearing-in of the Fadnavis-led ministry may take place soon, an official said. Meanwhile, police are on alert to avoid any untoward incident across the state in the backdrop of Thackeray's resignation as CM.
 
Uddhav Thackeray became Chief Minister after Shiv Sena joined hands with Nationalist Congress Party and Congress to form the government in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena leadership had differences with its pre-poll ally BJP and wanted the post of Chief Minister.

Follow the latest updates on Maharashtra political crisis here.