'I was betrayed by my own': Maharashtra CM Uddhav tells cabinet colleagues

A major decision taken by the state cabinet on Wednesday was renaming of Aurangabad city as Sambhajinagar

Chairing a cabinet meeting even as his government faces a serious crisis, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday evening said he was betrayed by his own people. Thackeray chaired a cabinet meeting here while the hearing on his government's petition challenging the governor's directive to conduct a floor test to prove majority was underway.

An official said that Thackeray told his cabinet colleagues that he had been betrayed by his own people.

"I also apologise if I have hurt anyone unintentionally," the official quoting Thackeray as saying. The ministers clapped after chief minister addressed the meeting, he added. The fate of the Thackeray government hangs in balance as senior minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has rebelled against the party leadership along with majority of Sena legislators. The official also said the chief minister did not say anything or hint that he was planning to quit before a possible trust vote on Thursday.

"He thanked the cabinet for their cooperation, and said the cooperation would continue, " Congress minister Sunil Kedar told reporters.

To a question whether the MVA government would survive the rebellion by Eknath Shinde, Kedar said, "Every MLA in the house would vote as per his conscience, considering the manner in which Thackeray has led the state's battle against COVID-19.

"Uddhav Thackeray will not stop nor he be defeated, " the Congress leader said. Kedar appealed to people to consider that a conspiracy was hatched against Thackeray who led the state efficiently during the pandemic and also resumed his official duties soon after undergoing a critical spine surgery. A major decision taken by the cabinet on Wednesday was renaming of Aurangabad city as Sambhajinagar.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its order for pronouncement at 9 pm on the plea of Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu challenging the Maharashtra Governor's direction to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to take a floor test in the Assembly on Thursday.

A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala heard arguments on behalf of Shiv Sena, its rebel MLAs led by Eknath Shinde, and the Governor on the plea in the hearing conducted after 5 pm through hybrid mode.

The Uddhav Thackeray faction, represented by senior advocate A M Singhvi, sought balancing of equity and deferment of holding of the floor test on Thursday saying “Governors are not angels, they are humans”.
 

On the contrary, Shinde and the Governor, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought the floor test.

“Floor test can't brook any delay and the Governor in totality is satisfied. Based on relevant materials, a floor test has to be held,” the top law officer told the bench on behalf of the Governor.

Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has asked the Maharashtra Legislature Secretary to hold a floor test of the MVA government at 11 am on Thursday.