AMN / NEW DELHI
In a show of solidarity, 162 MLAs assembled under one roof at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai and took a pledge to commit to the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance. “I will be honest to the NCP-Sena-Congress alliance. I will not do any anti-party activity. I will never work against my constituency and my party,” all 162 MLAs took an oath before their party leaders including Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
Thackeray said the alliance wanted to show its strength not only to Maharashtra but to the country. “Despite seeing this picture, if it does not light into the minds of people, then we have the strength to show that light. We are not saying I will come back but I’m saying we are back,” he said. Assuring its party members’ fears of disqualification, party chief Sharad Pawar said his nephew Ajit neither has the right to issue party whip nor can he suspend any members of the NCP. “Maharashtra is no Goa and Manipur. We will teach them a lesson,” he said.
The BJP hit back at the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP combine over their show of strength at a hotel on Monday evening and said his party will win the “photo finish” race during floor test in the assembly. BJP leader and former minister and Ashish Shelar taunted the Sena-NCP-Congress for “identification parade” of their MLAs and termed it as a cruel joke on the people of the state and democracy.
