Maharashtra crisis: Shinde's camp moves Supreme Court against disqualification notice

Even as the political turmoil in Maharashtra continues to unfold, the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, led by senior leader Eknath Shinde, moved the Supreme Court on Sunday against the disqualification notice issued against them. 

The rebel legislators, who have been camping at a luxury hotel in Assam's Guwahati, also challenged the rejection of no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Narahari Zirwal.

Shiv Sena had filed application for disqualifying 16 rebel MLAs after they revolted against the party and pushed the government on the brink of collapse.

The legislature secretariat has issued 'summons' to these MLAs, seeking written replies by the evening of June 27.

In their petition filed in the top court, the rebel leaders have also challenged the appointment of Ajay Choudhari as the Shiv Sena Legislature Party leader. 

Sena named Choudhari to the post after removing Shinde a day after the latter left Mumbai with a sizable number of loyal MLAs leaving the Maha Vikas Aghadi government teetering.

Amid the intense power tussle between Shinde and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, one more minister left the Sena camp on Sunday and joined the rebel leaders.

Uday Samant is the ninth minister to desert the Uddhav Thackeray's team.

Meanwhile, the Sena leadership has hardened its stance against the rebels and is planning to take away the portfolios of some of the ministers in the rebel camp.

According to reports, Shinde, who heads the Urban Development Ministry, Water Supply and Sanitation minister Gulabrao Patil and Agriculture minister Dada Bhuse as well as Ministers of States Sambhuraje Desai and Abdul Sattar are likely to lose their portfolios.

The state witnessed large-scale protests by Shiv Sena workers against the rebel leaders. 

In Mumbai, a large number of party workers, including women, assembled outside the office of 'Saamana', at Prabhadevi and took out a two-wheeler rally raising slogans against Shinde and rebel MLAs.

The Centre has extended Y-plus security cover of CRPF commandos to at least 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, officials said. 

Their families living in Maharashtra too will be secured as the security blanket entails house protection teams.