Mumbai: Amid speculation that six of its nine Members of Parliament were poised to defect to Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, the Shiv Sena (UBT) asserted that all nine attended a meeting convened by party chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday. The party stated that four MPs—Arvind Sawant, Rajabhau Waje, Sanjay Dina Patil, and Anil Desai—were physically present at Matoshree, while five others—Nagesh Ashtikar, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Bhausaheb Wakchoure, and Om Raje Nimbalkar—participated online or via phone. Party functionaries indicated that the five MPs provided valid reasons for their absence to Thackeray.
“Ashtikar is occupied with MLC elections in his constituency. Jadhav spoke with Uddhav Thackeray and said he would meet him in two days. Deshmukh has a wedding at home. Wakchoure’s wife is unwell, and Nimbalkar’s son is also ill,” a senior functionary explained. “All nine MPs were present in hybrid mode.”
Sanjay Raut, the party’s Rajya Sabha MP, showcased unity. “All MPs are firmly united and loyal to Shiv Sena (UBT). Aaditya Thackeray was present at the meeting. Now, at least, we hope the rumor mill will cease,” he posted on X.
Raut was alluding to speculation that Shinde’s faction was orchestrating another split within Thackeray’s party. Under the anti-defection law, if less than 75% of a party’s legislators rebel, they face disqualification. For Shiv Sena (UBT), if fewer than seven MPs defect, they would be disqualified.
Over recent months, several Sena (UBT) MPs have been seen meeting Shinde and other senior Sena leaders, fueling rumors of an impending split. Ashtikar, the MP from Hingoli, recently visited Shinde at his official residence; Waje from Nashik met Sena MP Shrikant Shinde; and Wakchaure from Shirdi met Industries Minister Uday Samant.
Jadhav stirred controversy last month by stating, “It is impossible to say what will happen next. I will never betray those who helped me rise, but the current situation has changed. Economic calculations are crucial in elections. So, it’s impossible to predict what comes next.”
The buzz of a split intensified following a rebellion in the Trinamool Congress, an INDIA bloc ally, where over 75% of its legislators revolted after the party’s loss in the West Bengal election, mirroring the splits in Shiv Sena and NCP in Maharashtra.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis declined to comment on a potential rebellion in Sena (UBT), stating he had no knowledge of who attended the meeting. (With agency input)
