Rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, including Shinde, leaving Surat hotel for Guwahati

Nearly 30 rebel MLAs of Shiv Sena along with their leader Eknath Shinde have left their hotel here and are now being flown to Guwahati in Assam, sources said.

Maharashtra rebel minister Eknath Shinde along with nearly 30 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs were staying at a hotel on Dumas road in Surat city of Gujarat upon their arrival here on Monday night.

Now, due to some undisclosed reasons, they are being shifted to Guwahati in Assam by air.

These MLAs sat in a luxury bus during early hours of Wednesday as they were being taken to the airport, from where they will be shifted to another BJP-ruled state Assam by air, sources said.

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On Tuesday, Shiv Sena leaders Milind Narvekar and Ravindra Phatak, sent by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, held discussions with the rebels at the hotel.

However, talks it seems were not successful.

Shiv Sena MLAs are going to be airlifted to Guwahati to avoid any confrontation by Sena party workers, said a BJP leader.

The Sena MLAs who have been camping in Surat based starred hotel are led by Maharashtra Urban Development minister Eknath Shinde.

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Sources close to Shinde claimed that there are 30 odd MLAs with him.

A senior BJP leader from Maharashtra on Monday late night told PTI, “We are shifting the MLAs to Guwahati for security reason. Surat being very close to Mumbai, may witness some backlash from angry Sena workers.” Maharashtra minister and some MLAs reached the hotel in Surat on late Monday night, hours after Legislative Council polls which saw the BJP winning a fifth seat despite not having enough numbers in the Assembly, possibly due to suspected cross-voting from the ruling bloc besides support from Independent MLAs and those from smaller parties.

After the Council poll results, Shinde went incommunicado and later it came to light he is camping in the hotel along with some party MLAs.