Budget 2023 Maharashtra: Whip becomes first issue of confrontation in both sides of Shiv Sena

Mumbai: On completely expected lines, Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena UBT came face-to-face over whip issue on first day of legislative session itself. Bharat Gogavale, chief whip of Shinde-led Shiv Sena said that they have issued a whip for all MLAs of the party. Uddhav camp MLAs refused to follow the whip saying that it is not compulsory to them.

On the first day of budget session 2023, Shiv Sena under Shinde camp reportedly issued a whip for all 55 MLAs of party. 15 MLAs are with Uddhav camp and it is separate group than Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

'Whip issues for all'

But, denying any such bifurcation, Bharat Gogavale of Shiv Sena said that the whip is issued for all. "We have issued the whip to all. In this case, no MLA of Shivsena is kept aside. All will have to follow the whip else we would have to take action after two weeks," said Gogavale.

But rejecting any such whip, Sunil Prabhu from Shiv Sena UBT said that they haven't received anything. "We do not have any whip issued by anyone," he said. Further Prabhu added that even if Shinde group issued any whip, we won't follow it. "They (Shinde group) can't issue us a whip. They have given it in court. So, there is no question we would follow the whip," he said.     

Shiv Sena UBT challenges EC order

Sena UBT has gone in Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission order. During the hearing they have requested SC to protect their group from whip. That time Shinde group's lawyer has said in court that they won't issue whip. But Gogavale's statement is contradictory to the lawyers position in Supreme Court. That's why Sena UBT group will mention the matter before SC during hearing on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Sena UBT MLAs met speaker Rahul Narvekar to request him to not imitate any action on the line of whip. "We told him that the case is pending before SC. So any action regarding this will again go to court. That's why we met him to tell not to take action,"said Sunil Prabhu.