Amid growing speculation of a split within the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray, party leader Sanjay Raut has made a serious allegation against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a post on X on Tuesday night, Raut claimed that the BJP was attempting to bribe party MPs to engineer a defection. He stated that Rs 15 crore each was being offered to Members of Parliament to break away from the Shiv Sena (UBT).
Five MPs Skip Uddhav's Meeting
Of the nine Lok Sabha MPs belonging to Shiv Sena (UBT), five recently failed to attend a crucial meeting called by Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai. Reports indicate that these five MPs are now heading to Delhi, fueling speculation about their possible alignment with the ruling NDA coalition.
Similar Split in TMC
This development comes on the heels of a similar split in the Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Mamata Banerjee. Twenty of the 28 TMC Lok Sabha MPs have written to Speaker Om Birla, seeking recognition as a separate bloc that supports the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Government's Constitutional Amendment Push
Meanwhile, the central government has announced that as soon as it secures a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha, it will introduce and pass the pending Constitution 131st Amendment Bill. The bill was previously defeated by a united Opposition during a special session. Currently, the NDA falls short of a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha but is approaching that threshold in the Rajya Sabha.
