LIVE: Rebel leader Eknath Shinde gets enough MLAs to split Sena Sena

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Live news updates: The rebellion by Shiv Sena dissident is growing stronger against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Rebel leader Eknath Shinde has reached the critical number of MLAs, 37, required to split the party in the assembly without falling foul of the anti-defection law. His total strength is now 42, news report said.

Chief Minister Thackeray, who heads Shiv Sena, has called a meeting of all party district heads. On Friday, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut challenged the rebel camp to come to the city, stating, “We are not going to concede defeat… This government will last its entire term.” Earlier, he warned Shinde that such battles are either fought through law or on the roads. “If the need be, our workers will come out on the roads,” Raut said, while speaking to reporters.

Assam's flood situation remained grim as seven more people died due to the calamity on Thursday taking the toll to 108, while Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made an aerial survey of severely affected Silchar town. The total population affected by the current wave of flood, however, registered a decline to 4.5 million in 30 districts from Wednesday's 5.4 million in 32 districts, according to a bulletin of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).