Team Herald
PANJIM: The rebel Maharashtra MLAs holed up in a starred hotel at Dona Paula leapt in joy and celebrated the election of their leader Eknath Shinde as the new Chief Minister.
As soon as news of Shinde to be sworn-in as the 20th Chief Minister of Maharashtra was flashed by media, all rebel MLAs jumped to joy and celebrated his election. They danced in the hotel lobby and some of them even climbed on the tables and danced.
Their joy had no bound and braving rains all 48 MLAs came out of the hotel and danced in the open giving slogans even as security personnel tried to cordon them and keeping them away from the media.
Earlier, in the morning, Shinde flew to Mumbai and along with Maharashtra Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis met the Governor and staked claim to form the new government. Till then, it was believed that Fadnavis would return at the help of affairs but in the evening Fadnavis announced Shinde as the Chief Minister much to the joy of his supporting MLAs camping in Goa.
Interacting with the media, rebel MLAs spokesman Dipak Kesarkar said that they had told the party leaders to severe ties with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) consisting of Congress and NCP. He said that the people of Maharashtra had voted for the alliance of BJP and Shiv Sena and claimed that the new
government will serve the State with Sena’s supreme late Balasaheb’s vision.
‘Our decision is based on idology and we have no greed for better positions’, he said. Before Shinde’s departure to Mumbai, BJP State president Sadanand Shet Tanavade and other party leaders met him and others in the hotel.
Outside the hotel, few Shiv Sainiks from the neighbouring State arrived in Goa in a bid to meet their MLAs and convince them to return to the party fold but in vain.
Much to the joy of ecstatic MLAs, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde return to Goa on Thursday around midnight and met his ecstatic colleagues in the hotel. Meanwhile, Shinde and others will fly to Mumbai on Friday afternoon, it was informed.