Shiv Sena (UBT) Faces Fresh Split As 6 MPs May Switch Camps, Party Urges Speaker To Deny Them Recognition

Fresh political uncertainty has gripped Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), with an India Today report indicating that six of the party's nine Lok Sabha MPs are preparing to switch camps, raising the possibility of another major split nearly four years after the rebellion led by Eknath Shinde.

Two MPs have reportedly already reached Delhi, while four others are expected to arrive later. The group is likely to meet at the residence of Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, with Eknath Shinde also expected to participate in the discussions.

Following the meeting, the MPs are expected to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

To counter this move, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has already written to the speaker urging him to refrain from recognising any breakaway factions from the party in the parliament.

If the defections materialise, they would mark another significant setback for Uddhav Thackeray after the 2022 split that led to the loss of the party's original name and election symbol.

Absent MPs Sparked Speculation

Speculation gathered pace after five of the party's nine MPs were reportedly absent from a meeting at Uddhav Thackeray's residence, Matoshree.

Seeking to downplay the reports, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said four of the absent MPs — Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar and Sanjay Deshmukh — had attended the meeting virtually, while Sanjay Jadhav had spoken to Uddhav Thackeray over the phone.

However, speculation intensified after Sanjay Deshmukh met Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav from the Eknath Shinde faction. Deshmukh maintained that the meeting was non-political.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Writes to Speaker

In a Pre-emptive move by the Shiv Sena (UBT) to block the rebel MPs from engineering a split in the party, senior leader Arvind Sawant has written a letter to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla urging him not ro recognize any breakaway faction, arguing it to be against the constitution.

“The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) is one political party and remains so in the eyes of law,” he said in the letter.  

Sawant argued that post the 91^st Constitutional Amendment splits in political parties were de-recognised. “The constitutional recognition formerly accorded to a split no longer exists,” he said.

He cited the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench ruling in 2023 Maharashtra political crisis and said that the court had upheld the primacy of the political party over its legislative wing.

“The judgment unequivocally affirms the primacy of the political party over the legislature party. The legislature party does not possess an independent source of authority divorced from the political party,” he added.

Sawant, in his letter, also clarified that any MPs attempting to function independently would attract consequences which include disqualification under the anti-defection law.

“In the absence of such a merger, conduct whereby members seek to project themselves as a separate political formation… may attract the consequences prescribed under Paragraph 2 of the Tenth Schedule,” it said.

MPs being offered ₹15 crore

Sanjay Raut alleged that attempts were being made to engineer a split by offering financial inducements.

"Apna Sapna Money Money! It's shocking and revolting that Maharashtra MPs are reportedly being offered ₹15 crore each tonight to switch sides," he wrote on X while tagging Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The reported developments come ahead of Shiv Sena's foundation day on June 19 and could have implications for parliamentary arithmetic before the upcoming Monsoon Session.

A successful defection would not only strengthen the BJP-led NDA's numbers in the Lok Sabha but also revive memories of the 2022 rebellion that dramatically reshaped Maharashtra politics and weakened Uddhav Thackeray's hold over the party.