Shinde had rebelled against Thackeray's leadership, claiming the support of 40 of the Shiv Sena's 55 MLAs and 12 of its 18 members in the Lok Sabha.
Shiv Sena leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has moved the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the order of the Election Commission to freeze the party's bow and arrow symbol.
It said that neither of the two groups led by Eknath Shinde and other led by Uddhav Thackeray be permitted to use the name of the party "Shiv Sena" and neither of the two groups shall also be permitted to use the symbol "Bow & Arrow", reserved for "Shiv Sena".
During his hospitalisation in November 2021 for his neck and spine problems, Thackeray underwent two surgeries in a space of a week, but the anxious family had not disclosed then that the pater-familias was practically pushed into the jaws of death.
The BJP top brass, along with Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis, accorded a warm welcome to the rebels' leader Eknath Shinde who arrived here after a sojourn across Gujarat, Assam, and later Goa, to hammer out the nitty-gritties of staking claim with Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
Uddhav Thackeray resigned soon after the Supreme Court refused to stay Governor B S Koshyari's direction to his government to take a floor test in the Assembly on Thursday.
The rebel group of Shiv Sena led by Minister Eknath Shinde -- currently camping in Guwahati -- said that they would return to Mumbai on Thursday and take part in the trust vote and all other proceedings that would follow.
The top court also extended, till July 12, the time granted by Deputy Speaker to the 16 dissident MLAs to submit their written responses to the disqualification notice, and asked the Maharashtra government to ensure protection of all rebel Shiv Sena MLAs and their family members.
He expressed confidence that the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising the Sena, NCP and Congress will survive the current crisis.
Majority of Shiv Sena MLAs have shifted their loyalty to Minister Eknath Shinde and are camping in Guwahati, putting the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Chief Minister and party president Uddhav Thackeray, in turmoil.
NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase has called upon the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate to probe the source of what he terms as 'black money'.
His strong reaction came in response to unverified reports that the rebels led by Minister Eknath Sambhaji Shinde - currently camping in Guwahati - had allegedly decided to rename itself as "Shiv Sena-Balasaheb Thackeray Group".
Thackeray, who also heads the Shiv Sena, had moved to 'Varsha' after becoming the chief minister in November 2019.
Thackeray said under the present situation, "my own (Shiv Sainiks) don't want me as CM".
Navneet Rana also said she will campaign in Mumbai and support 'Ram bhakts' (followers of Lord Ram) to end the "corrupt rule" of the Shiv Sena.
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