The Shiv Sena has removed Eknath Shinde as the party’s group leader in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, hours after he went incommunicado and travelled to Surat with some MLAs of his party, triggering a crisis in the tripartite MVA government.

Shinde has been removed as the Shiv Sena group leader in the Assembly and replaced with Ajay Choudhury, Sena MP Sanjay Raut told reporters. Choudhary, who represents the Sewri segment in Mumbai, told PTI that 25 MLAs have supported his appointment as the group leader of the Shiv Sena.

After the Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a setback in the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls on Monday night, Shinde went incommunicado. He is camping at a hotel in Gujarat’s Surat city along with some party MLAs.

Shinde rose in the Shiv Sena hierarchy from ranks. He had served as the party corporator for several terms before getting elected to the Legislative Assembly in 2004. He is also known for his accessibility and has a strong grip on the party organisation in Thane and Palghar districts, part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, which sends 24 MLAs to the Assembly.