Key Facts
Six Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs are in Delhi and likely to meet Speaker Om Birla to submit a letter seeking recognition as a separate group, sources said. The move could lead to a formal split in the party, with the rebel lawmakers expected to merge with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction. The development comes days after 20 Trinamool Congress MPs defected to the NDA, and as the government seeks a two-thirds majority for the delimitation bill.
Details of the Split
The six MPs—Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Sanjay Deshmukh, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Sanjay Patil, and Omraje Nimbalkar—are believed to be at an undisclosed location in Delhi. Sanjay Jadhav is likely to be elected leader of the new group before it merges with the Shinde faction. Eknath Shinde, who replaced Uddhav Thackeray as Maharashtra CM in 2022 with BJP's help and later became deputy CM, is also in the national capital.
Party Leadership Response
Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentary party chief Arvind Sawant has issued a whip asking all nine Lok Sabha and one Rajya Sabha MP to attend a meeting at 11 am on Thursday. He also wrote to Speaker Om Birla, stating that the party continues to be recognised as a single entity and requesting that no recognition be given to any breakaway group. “No separate recognition, status, privilege or facility be accorded to any purported faction or breakaway group claiming to represent the party,” Sawant wrote.
Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut alleged that the rebel MPs were offered ₹50 crore each to leave the party, with ₹15 crore paid in advance. “I got a call from an important person. He said each of the MPs was offered ₹50 crore to leave the party. ₹15 crore was given as an advance. I was even told the MPs were not willing to sit in the chartered planes until they got an advance,” Raut said at a press conference. He warned that those who skip the meeting will face legal action.
Political Implications
The potential split in Shiv Sena (UBT) could bolster the NDA's numbers in Lok Sabha, where it is 46 members short of a two-thirds majority needed to pass the delimitation bill. The TMC's earlier defection had already weakened the opposition. The BJP has distanced itself from the developments, with Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule saying, “We do not know anything about it.”
What Readers Should Know
- Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs are in Delhi to form a separate group and likely merge with the Shinde faction.
- Party chief Arvind Sawant has issued a whip and written to the Lok Sabha Speaker against recognising any breakaway group.
- Sanjay Raut has alleged large-scale poaching, with MPs offered ₹50 crore each.
- The split could help the NDA in passing the delimitation bill.
FAQ
How many Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs are likely to defect?
Six Lok Sabha MPs—Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Sanjay Deshmukh, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Sanjay Patil, and Omraje Nimbalkar—are expected to form a separate group and merge with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction.
What action has the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership taken?
Party parliamentary chief Arvind Sawant issued a whip asking all 10 MPs to attend a meeting on Thursday and wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla not to recognise any breakaway group.
What did Sanjay Raut allege about the defection?
Sanjay Raut claimed each MP was offered ₹50 crore to leave the party, with ₹15 crore paid as advance, and that they were flown in chartered planes.
How has the BJP responded to the potential split?
Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the party has no knowledge of the developments.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com