Rebel Shiv Sena Leader Eknath Shinde has left for Mumbai on Friday afternoon amid escalating political crisis in Maharashtra.

It is however unclear if his rebellion will tag along with him, sources said.

The strength of Shiv Sena MLAs in the Eknath Shinde camp was expected to cross 50 as more MLAs were likely to reach Guwahati today, said sources.

However, the rebel leader Eknath Shinde hit back at the Shiv Sena after the party on Thursday wrote to the Maharashtra Assembly deputy speaker seeking the disqualification of 12 rebel MLAs.

Taking to Twitter, Shinde wrote, "You cannot scare us by giving the names of 12 MLAs for disqualification because we are followers of the Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. We know the law, so we do not pay heed to threats."

"We know your ways and the law too! According to Schedule 10 of the Constitution, the whip is used for assembly work, not for meetings," he further said in a tweet.

Amid the continuing turf war within Shiv Sena, the Shinde faction also said that Bharat Gogawale has been appointed as Chief Whip of the party.

The three legislators who arrived in Guwahati on Thursday include Agriculture Minister Dada Bhuse, MLA Sanjay Rathore and MLC Ravindra Phatak.

Phatak is believed to be a close associate of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who had sent him as an emissary to Surat where the rebel MLAs was lodged.