Amid the political theatrics in Maharashtra, another plot twist developed when Shiv Sena MLA Nitin Deshmukh came into the public eye and backed up CM Uddhav Thackrey. Earlier, speculations presumed that Deshmukh had shaken hands with Sena rebel Eknath Shinde. However, the MLA resurfaced with claims of kidnapping and being captive in Surat.
While he accused Shinde of kidnapping and voiced his support for Shiv Sena, another Sena MLA claimed that Surat Police thrashed Deshmukh in a hotel and forcefully took him to Guwahati when the MLA wanted to advance Mumbai.
Deshmukh said, “I escaped the hotel at 3 AM trying to hitch a ride from a passerby. Then, hundreds of cops came and took me to the hospital, pretending I had a heart attack. They also tried to conduct some medical procedure on my body.”
“I Support Uddhav Thackrey,” Says Deshmukh
Surat Shiv Sena leader, Parekh Kher, gave a statement to the media validating Deshmukh’s claim. He said, “Nitin Deshmukh came out of the hotel till the road junction. He also asked for our help to go to Mumbai. But, the police held him and took him somewhere. We tried to follow them. However, when we reached the hotel, the staff denied us entry.”
Later, the cops shifted Deshmukh to a hospital after an argument between a police officer and an MLA said some sources. However, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s story narrates a different tale. He says that Deshmukh had a heart attack at the Surat hotel and was kept captive by the BJP. He also pointed fingers at rival political parties and held them accountable for kidnapping their nine missing MLAs.
When MLA Deshmukh, a representative from the Balapur Assembly constituency, went missing on June 20, his wife lodged a report with the Akola Police station. According to her, somebody might be a threat to her husband’s life.
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