Maha Sena minister Eknath Shinde not in Mumbai, but communication established with him: Sanjay Raut

Maharashtra minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde is not in Mumbai, but communication has been established with him, party MP Sanjay Raut said on Tuesday.

Shinde along with some Shiv Sena MLAs had gone incommunicado, a party leader said earlier on Tuesday, a day after the ruling Maha Vikas Agahdi (MVA-comprising the Sena, NCP, and Congress) suffered a setback in the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls by losing one out of the six seats it contested.

According to sources, Shinde was camping along with some Sena MLAs at a hotel in Gujarat's Surat city.

Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Raut said it is a fact that contact with some MLAs could not be established on Monday night after the Legislative Council polls, but the party has been able to reach out to some of them now.

''Eknath Shinde is not Mumbai, but communication has been established with him,'' Raut said.

However, Raut did not elaborate on the number of MLAs who have gone incommunicado along with Shinde.