The Supreme Court of India is set to deliver a verdict on Thursday that will put an end to the year-long political battle between Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde in the state of Maharashtra. The verdict will decide whether Shinde, who is currently serving as the Chief Minister of the state, will continue in his position or whether his rebellion and subsequent floor test were illegal.
The political crisis in Maharashtra began in late 2019 when the Shiv Sena, the state’s ruling party at the time, split over differences between Thackeray and Shinde. Shinde led a group of rebels who defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was the Shiv Sena’s coalition partner at the time.
This defection resulted in a political crisis, with the Shiv Sena, the BJP, and other parties vying for power in the state. In the end, the Shiv Sena formed a coalition government with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Indian National Congress (INC).
The crisis did not end there, however, as Shinde continued to challenge Thackeray’s leadership and his position as Chief Minister. In July 2020, Shinde led a group of rebels in a floor test that saw Thackeray narrowly retain his position as Chief Minister.
Since then, the two factions of the Shiv Sena have continued to spar with each other, with both claiming the right to lead the state. The Supreme Court’s verdict on Thursday is expected to bring an end to this long-standing political battle.
Both Thackeray and Shinde factions of the Shiv Sena are hopeful of victory in the Supreme Court. However, the verdict is likely to have far-reaching consequences for the state’s political landscape. If Shinde is removed as Chief Minister, it could trigger another round of political instability and uncertainty in the state.
The people of Maharashtra are looking forward to a swift resolution to the political crisis that has plagued the state for over a year now. The Supreme Court’s verdict on Thursday is expected to provide that resolution and bring an end to the bitter power struggle between the two factions of the Shiv Sena.