In a statement that has triggered a political issue in Maharashtra, senior Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar claimed that Eknath Shinde would have shot himself and ended his life if the "uprising" botched up, a year ago.
Soon after the statement, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT)’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut has sought the arrest of Kesarkar for suppressing the information about the intent of someone to end his or her life.
Kesarkar, a senior Shiv Sena leader, is the Education Minister and doubles up as the official spokesperson of the party.
The statement of Kesarkar comes exactly a year after the June 20-21, 2022 rebellion in the Shiv Sena - which has now led to 40 of the 56 MLAs, 13 of the 19 MPs and two MLCs switching sides from the Thackeray group to the Shinde camp.
The Election Commission legitimised the Shinde camp as the real Shiv Sena and allotted the bow-and-arrow symbol - while the Thackeray group is now known as Shiv Sena (UBT) and uses the flaming-torch symbol.
Kesarkar, who is a close aide of Shinde, said: “On the last foundation day (June 19, 2022), Shinde saheb was insulted…very low-level language was used (against him)…it was when he decided about the uprising.”
Kesarkar went on to add that Shinde had taken the step of the uprising and gotten support. “However, he was very clear and said that in case it failed, he would send us (39 MLAs) all back (to the party), make a phone call (to Thackeray) and say ‘sorry’ and take full responsibility (of what had happened)…and then shoot himself in the head,” Kesarkar claimed.
It may be mentioned, the uprising succeeded and Shinde took over as chief minister on June 30, 2022, after toppling the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government with the help of the BJP.
Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, however, said: “What Kesarkar is saying is serious…police should pick him up immediately…he is a minister…he has been suppressing information of someone’s intention of committing suicide…there is something called the Official Secrets Act and Evidence Act....what if something happens after the Speaker gives his ruling (on the disqualification of 16 MLAs)?"