Maharashtra political crisis: No more Chief Minister, will Uddhav Thackeray manage to retain hold over Shiv Sena?

Mumbai: Uddhav Thackeray has stepped down as chief minister of Maharashtra. Facing a floor test in assembly amid a political crisis facing the MVA government, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray submitted his resignation to state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in Raj Bhavan on Wednesday. While the Governor accepted the resignation and asked Uddhav Thackeray to continue as CM until an alternate arrangement is made, questions have been raised also about Thackeray's hold over Shiv Sena.

"I am resigning as the Chief Minister," Uddhav had said. He also announced his resignation as MLC. The MVA government in Maharashtra has been facing a political crisis after a revolt in Shiv Sena. The rebel MLAs led by Eknath Shinde had been camping in Guwahati. In his media address to people earlier, Thackeray said that he was not going away forever and will once again sit in Shiv Sena Bhavan. Thackeray, whose party`s internal revolt brought down the three-year-old MVA government, said he came to power in "an unexpected manner" and was "going out in a similar fashion".Thackeray also announced his resignation as MLC."I had come (to power) in an unexpected manner and I am going out in a similar fashion. I am not going away forever, I will be here, and I will once again sit in Shiv Sena Bhavan. I will gather all my people. I am resigning as the CM and as an MLC," he said.

Meanwhile, Eknath Shinde has claimed he is "Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sainik" and that he will never betray the ideals of the Shiv Sena founder. "We are Balasaheb's staunch Shiv Sainiks ... Balasaheb has taught us Hindutva .. We have never and will never cheat for power and will never abandon the teachings of Balasaheb and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Saheb," Shinde, the Maharashtra Cabinet Minister, had tweeted in Marathi.

Uddhav Thackeray had slammed Shinde's claim that they were true followers of Balasaheb's ideology. Uddhav launched a scathing attack on purported attempts by the rebel group to christen itself after the party founder-patriarch, the late Balasaheb Thackeray. "Don't invoke my Dad's name, use your father's name, to win the elections," said a livid Thackeray.

With Eknath Shinde claiming the support of at least 39 MLAs, Uddhav's hold over the party in itself comes under the scanner.