How Sena MLAs escaped giving slip to their securitymen
p. Both the Congress and the NCP washed their hands of the crisis leaving the battered Uddhav Thackeray to deal with the crisis under the pretext of it being the "internal matter" of Shiv Sena.
NewsBharati 25-Jun-2022 16:30:46 PM
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Mumbai, Jun 25: Solution to the impending political crisis in Maharashtra, in the wake of rebellion by a sizeable number of Shiv Sena MLAs who were angry and dissatisfied with the functioning style of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, everybody in the state is guessing and wondering how these MLAs could have escaped their way to Gujarat and from there to Assam in the Northeast.
Now, these 40-plus MLAs did the same trick to fool the Chief Minister and veteran NCP leader Sharad Pawar who claims to be 'Jaanataa Raja' and reached Guwahati in Assam via Surat in Gujarat from Mumbai throwing a surprise challenge to all of them.
How did this happen? Who helped them? According to sources, these MLAs hoodwinked their security personnel and escaped their net to reach Surat and then Guwahati. Soon after the MLC election in which the BJP bagged all the five seats they have contested, these MLAs started their journey incommunicado.
It is now almost a week since the MVA autorickshaw government in Maharashtra is batting with the worst crisis this time. The powerful minister Eknath Shinde rebelled against the party and leader and took along with him more than two-thirds of MLAs to Assam via Gujarat-both BJP-ruled states.
It was only the next day i.e. on June 21 that the outsiders came to know about this rebellion that sent shockwaves in the Uddhav Thackeray camp. Both the Congress and the NCP washed their hands of the crisis leaving the battered Uddhav Thackeray to deal with the crisis under the pretext of it being the 'internal matter' of Shiv Sena.
One MLA told his supporters in his office that he would return soon and left never to return while another legislator said he had to go home for some work. He was accompanied by a Yuva Sena leader whom he forced to get down from his car midway and then he proceeded to his destination.
Another MLA told his security guards to wait outside the hotel as he had some important work inside. However, he gave them a slip and left the hotel from another gate.
When these MLAs did not show up after a long spell the security cops smelled a rat and informed their seniors. By this time these MLAs had crossed the state border and entered Gujarat only to fly to Guwahati in Assam in a special plane waiting for them at Surat. These senior police officers however denied the report of the intelligence failure in this episode.
A visibly annoyed NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar asked the state Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil, who is from NCP, about the failure on the part of the security apparatus, but could not get a satisfactory response.
One thing is sure. That these MLAs succeeded in catching the party leadership and the government off guard by escaping to far-off Guwahati in Assam via Surat.
Escaping from the enemy camp is not new to Maharashtra and particularly to 'Mawala soldiers' as these Sena MLAs claim to be. History is replete with such examples in the past the most famous being the escape of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj from the strong, unbreakable security net of Aurangzeb. He escaped from Agra and reached safely his capital Raigad. But that was the history.
Now, these 40-plus MLAs did the same trick to fool the Chief Minister and veteran NCP leader Sharad Pawar who claims to be 'Jaanataa Raja' and reached Guwahati in Assam via Surat in Gujarat from Mumbai throwing a surprise challenge to all of them.
How did this happen? Who helped them? According to sources, these MLAs hoodwinked their security personnel and escaped their net to reach Surat and then Guwahati. Soon after the MLC election in which the BJP bagged all the five seats they have contested, these MLAs started their journey incommunicado.
Most MLAs told their security personnel that they had some 'private work, and asked them to wait outside till they return after completing that 'work'. The cops obeyed only to be surprised that their masters did give them a slip. Thus, these MALs succeeded in throwing dust in the eyes of their security and party leaders, and workers as well to keep their escape plans a well-guarded secret. Now the leaders like Sharad Pawar are blaming it on the 'Intelligence failure'.
Also Read: Eknath Shinde faction names their group as "Shiv Sena Balasaheb"
It is now almost a week since the MVA autorickshaw government in Maharashtra is batting with the worst crisis this time. The powerful minister Eknath Shinde rebelled against the party and leader and took along with him more than two-thirds of MLAs to Assam via Gujarat-both BJP-ruled states.
It was only the next day i.e. on June 21 that the outsiders came to know about this rebellion that sent shockwaves in the Uddhav Thackeray camp. Both the Congress and the NCP washed their hands of the crisis leaving the battered Uddhav Thackeray to deal with the crisis under the pretext of it being the 'internal matter' of Shiv Sena.
According to a police officer who was quoted by a news agency, "Many of the MLAs, who have been provided protection by the state police department, told their security personnel that they had some personal work and asked them to wait until they return. However, they headed to Surat after that without informing them."
Also Read: Amidst political crisis, section 144 imposed in Thane
One MLA told his supporters in his office that he would return soon and left never to return while another legislator said he had to go home for some work. He was accompanied by a Yuva Sena leader whom he forced to get down from his car midway and then he proceeded to his destination.
Another MLA told his security guards to wait outside the hotel as he had some important work inside. However, he gave them a slip and left the hotel from another gate.
When these MLAs did not show up after a long spell the security cops smelled a rat and informed their seniors. By this time these MLAs had crossed the state border and entered Gujarat only to fly to Guwahati in Assam in a special plane waiting for them at Surat. These senior police officers however denied the report of the intelligence failure in this episode.
A visibly annoyed NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar asked the state Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil, who is from NCP, about the failure on the part of the security apparatus, but could not get a satisfactory response.
One thing is sure. That these MLAs succeeded in catching the party leadership and the government off guard by escaping to far-off Guwahati in Assam via Surat.
Virag Pachpore
Former President of International Centre for Cultural Studies Virag Pachpore is a widely acclaimed political analyst, commentator, media trainer, social activist and writer. He has written well-researched books titled “The Indian Church?” (2001), “Jesus, Christianity and Swami Vivekananda” (2013), “Liberation Theology” (2014), and “Indian Muslims and National Perspective” (2006) and Christian Missionary activities in India. He is engaged in Inter-faith dialogue with Muslims and Christian groups in India.