Maharashtra: Ex-Lok Sabha MP Anandrao Adsul quits Shiv Sena; Raut says 'ED pressure'

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 7 (ANI): In another jolt to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, a former Member of Parliament quit the party on Thursday.
Anandrao Vithoba Adsul, former Lok Sabha MP from Maharashtra's Amravati resigned as a leader of the Shiv Sena.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said, "Anand Rao has given his resignation, I have learnt that ED was going on against him, there was a raid at his residence... due to this pressure may be...such pressure is on many leaders."
Anandrao Adsul is expected to join the Eknath Shinde camp.
The Uddhav-led Shiv Sena has decided to make Rajan Vichare the chief whip of the party in the Lok Sabha.
"We have made changes in Lok Sabha at the command of Uddhav Thackeray, have written a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker to make Rajan Vichare the Chief Whip of the party," said Raut.
The new Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra won the floor test on Monday by a 164-99 margin.
"These 40-50 MLAs were facing challenges in their own constituencies as our alliance partners were strengthening those who were defeated. When we win elections, then voters expect development works including water, roads and other basic works, there were expectations but our MLAs were not able to do this due to deficiency of funds and other problems. We talked to our seniors many times that there should be corrective measures. But we could not succeed in this, unfortunately. That's why our 40-50 MLAs took this decision," he said.
According to the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with the anti-defection law, any group of lawmakers can leave a party and form another or merge with another party without disqualification if they are together at least two-thirds of legislators of the party's original strength.
Shinde said his government is of the common people and will work for giving justice to all sections of society.
"This government will give justice to people. This is the government of the common people. This government will do the work of giving justice to all sections of society," he said. (ANI)