Major Blow to Uddhav Camp as Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Rebel, Eye Merger with Shinde Faction

New Delhi: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) suffered a major political setback on Thursday after six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs skipped a crucial parliamentary party meeting and moved to align with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, marking a significant shift in Maharashtra's political landscape.

The development is being described by sources in the Shinde camp as the success of a carefully planned strategy, internally referred to as "Operation Tiger."

The rebellion became evident during a Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentary party meeting held at Parliament House. Despite a party whip making attendance mandatory, only three Lok Sabha MPs—Anil Desai, Arvind Sawant and Rajabhau Waje—along with Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut attended the meeting.

The six absent MPs—Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay (Bandu) Jadhav, Omraje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure and Nagesh Patil Ashtikar—are reportedly preparing to formally join the Shinde faction.

According to sources, the rebel lawmakers have already approached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as a separate parliamentary group, a move that could pave the way for their merger with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

The dissident MPs are understood to have adopted an internal resolution citing ideological differences with the Uddhav Thackeray leadership. They reportedly argued that the party had drifted away from the Hindutva ideology championed by founder Balasaheb Thackeray and expressed concern over what they described as increasing proximity to the Congress.

The resolution also reportedly referred to recent remarks by senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut suggesting that regional parties such as the Trinamool Congress should merge with the Congress, fuelling fears among the rebels that the Uddhav-led party could eventually lose its independent identity.

With tensions running high, security has been tightened outside the residences of the rebel MPs across Maharashtra. The Maharashtra Home Department has reportedly decided to provide Y-plus security to all six legislators following alleged threats, while the State Intelligence Department has been directed to monitor the situation closely.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership has initiated disciplinary action by issuing show-cause notices to the six MPs. If their replies are found unsatisfactory, the party is expected to move the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking their disqualification under the anti-defection law.

However, leaders from the Shinde camp maintain that the six MPs constitute the required two-thirds majority of the party's Lok Sabha strength and therefore qualify for protection under the provisions of the anti-defection law if recognised as a separate group.

Sources said the Shinde faction is likely to wait for the next 48 hours before making any formal announcement as it prepares for the expected legal battle. With Shiv Sena's Foundation Day falling on June 19, the rebel MPs are widely expected to formally join the Shinde camp, potentially altering the party's parliamentary strength.

With inputs from IANS 

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