"Requested Uddhav Thackeray 3-4 Times To Go With Natural Ally BJP": Eknath Shinde

Mr Shinde is on a two-day Delhi trip along with his Deputy Devendra Fadnavis to discuss cabinet expansion with the central BJP leadership.

Newly-appointed Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde today said that the  Shiv Sena MLAs who broke off from the Thackeray camp had tried to persuade former Chief Minister and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray "three to four times" to go with "natural ally" BJP. Several Sena legislators were upset with the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance and had unsuccessfully tried several times to speak to Mr Thackeray about it before launching an all-out rebellion, he said. 

Mr Shinde is on a two-day Delhi trip along with his Deputy Devendra Fadnavis to discuss cabinet expansion with the central BJP leadership.

Speaking to the media in the national capital, he reiterated that the MLAs backing him are the real Shiv Sena. "We have the numbers and have been recognised by the assembly speaker," he said. 

On the heated dispute over who gets to use the party symbol, he said they have faith in the judiciary. "We are Shiv Sena and haven't done anything illegal. We have been recognised as the Legislative party," he added.