Mumbai: Shiv Sena rebel leader Eknath Shinde this morning left Goa for Mumbai, where he is likely to meet the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis. Rebel MLA Deepak Kesarkar said that their faction will form a Government with the BJP soon.

Earlier today, Shinde said that no discussion had been held with the BJP on the number of Ministerial posts that will be given to the rebel MLAs in the new Government, but it will take place soon. He told reporters that rebel MLAs were not happy that Uddhav Thackeray had resigned as CM.

This comes after Uddhav Thackeray announced his resignation as the CM last night, in a turn of events that have altered the fate of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. “We will work and come to power on our own once again,” Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told reporters this morning.

The BJP is now the single largest party in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. “The next steps will be decided by Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde,” State BJP Chief Chandrakant Patil said.

“Shiv Sena will remain as it is. We have not staked claim to the party. There is a difference between a Legislative group and a party faction. This battle is about ‘thatva’s. The alliance which is being formed now is of those who the people of Maharashtra had originally chosen. So, Sanjay Raut should not use words like backstabbing. The less Sanjay Raut speaks, the better,” rebel MLA Deepak Kesarkar said.

“When anyone misunderstands good fortune as one’s personal accomplishment; therein begins the journey towards one’s decline,” Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray meanwhile said in a cryptic tweet, seemingly aimed toward Uddhav Thackeray.