The Shiv Sena (UBT) faction led by Uddhav Thackeray appears to be on the verge of a split, as at least five of its nine Lok Sabha members have reportedly requested an appointment with Speaker Om Birla. These MPs had recently skipped a meeting convened by Uddhav at his Mumbai residence.
Uddhav Calls Parliamentary Party Meeting
In response, Uddhav Thackeray has summoned a meeting of the Shiv Sena UBT parliamentary party in Delhi on June 19 and has urged all MPs to attend. The five MPs who sought the Speaker's appointment are expected to meet him on Wednesday and may convey their decision to be recognized as a separate bloc supporting the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Government's Push for Women's Reservation Bill
The government is keen to achieve a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha to pass the women's reservation bill, which has been linked to delimitation. The bill was defeated during a special session by a joint opposition. Ruling party leaders have indicated that they will call another special session once they secure the required two-thirds numbers in the lower house.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has already experienced a split, with rebel members backing the NDA. The Shiv Sena UBT appears to be following a similar path. Currently, the NDA has 293 MPs in the Lok Sabha. If the 20 TMC rebel members are recognized as a separate bloc supporting the government, the NDA's strength would rise to 313. If the Shiv Sena UBT members also join, the tally would reach 318. Additionally, the government is in talks with the DMK to seek its support.
The two-thirds majority mark in the Lok Sabha is 360 out of 543 seats. However, there are currently three vacancies, making the effective strength of the House 540.
