The Supreme Court on Wednesday strongly countered suggestions from rebel Sena MLAs, saved from possible disqualification prior to the fall of MVA government on SC intervention, that the Maharashtra assembly speaker and not the apex court should adjudicate on the disqualification issue. Eknath Shinde faction’s counsel Harish Salve told a bench of CJI NV Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli that cross-disqualification petitions, pending against almost all Sena MLAs, should be decided by the speaker as the SC should not be the first forum of adjudication. Maharashtra: BJP has seen roses, now it will see Shiv Sainiks’ thorns, says Uddhav Thackeray Reiterating that attempts were being made to finish the Shiv Sena, party president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said BJP had seen “gulab” (roses) in Jalgaon but would now have to see “Shiv Sainiks’ thorns. Maharashtra: BJP has seen roses, now it will see Shiv Sainiks’ thorns, says Uddhav Thackeray The bench said, “You (the rebels) came to the court first and were protected. Entertaining that petition is contrary to the SC judgment in the Karnataka case where we had ruled that it is the speaker who should decide such issues. Now that you have garnered a majority and have elected your MLA as speaker, you want the issues to be decided by the speaker.” Shiv Sena crisis: 'Won't let Shinde faction get party symbol' Former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray's faction will fight it out for the bow and arrow symbol which is likely to be claimed by CM Eknath Shinde's faction, said Sena leaders. Deputy leader and spokesperson of the Thackeray faction, MLC Sachin Ahir told TOI that they are the real Sena and will not Shiv Sena crisis: 'Won't let Shinde faction get party symbol' Appearing for the Thackeray-faction, advocate Kapil Sibal said, “The rebel MLAs stand disqualified as by not attending legislature party meetings, they have given up membership of the party. Even if they have two-third MLAs, they couldn’t be saved from disqualification if they had neither floated a separate party or merged with another party. The Tenth Schedule was enacted to stop defection. But it is now used to instigate, indulge and legitimise defections.”