NEW DELHI: Only three of Shiv Sena (UBT)'s nine Lok Sabha MPs attended the party's pivotal parliamentary meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, heightening speculation of an imminent split in the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. The low attendance occurred despite the party issuing a three-line whip mandating all its MPs to be present at the meeting.
Among the attendees were Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, and Rajabhau Waje, along with Sanjay Raut, the party's sole Rajya Sabha MP. Following the meeting, Anil Desai stated, "Notice will be served to MPs who did not attend. They will be asked why they failed to appear despite the whip."
Reports indicate that a faction of the party's Lok Sabha MPs is exploring a breakaway to eventually align with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The political crisis deepened with claims that six of the nine MPs had formed a separate group and submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition.
This move is seen as an attempt to test the strength of the rival camp and lay the groundwork for disqualification proceedings against any lawmaker defying the party directive. The crisis erupted amid speculation that rebel MPs were seeking recognition as a separate group in the Lok Sabha. Under parliamentary rules, at least two-thirds of a legislature party's members must break away to form a separate bloc. With nine MPs, the dissidents need support from six members to stake such a claim.
The stakes are particularly high for Uddhav Thackeray, who already experienced a major split in 2022 when Eknath Shinde led a rebellion that brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra. Another successful breakaway would significantly weaken the Sena (UBT)'s parliamentary presence and political standing.
Ahead of the meeting, senior leader Arvind Sawant urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla not to recognize any faction claiming to represent the party. Meanwhile, sources indicate that rebel leaders have informally reached out to the Speaker, claiming support from six MPs.
The showdown in Delhi is seen as a decisive test of whether the dissident camp can muster the numbers required for a split or if Uddhav Thackeray's leadership will retain control over its parliamentary party.
