Shiv Sena (UBT) Faces Fresh Rift as Six MPs Skip Meeting
Absence of majority of Lok Sabha members sparks speculation of possible defections to Shinde camp
- Six of Shiv Sena (UBT)’s nine Lok Sabha MPs skipped a key parliamentary meeting.
- Party may issue show-cause notices to absent MPs for defying the whip.
- Speculation grows over a possible shift of MPs towards Eknath Shinde’s faction.
- Sanjay Raut termed the absent leaders disloyal amid escalating internal tensions.
GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 18th June: A fresh political crisis has emerged within Shiv Sena (UBT) after six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs remained absent from a crucial parliamentary party meeting held in New Delhi, triggering speculation over a possible split within the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
Only three MPs—Anil Desai, Arvind Sawant and Rajabhau Parag Prakash Waje—attended the meeting, while Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Omraje Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh and Nagesh Patil Ashtikar remained absent, according to party sources.
The meeting was convened to discuss parliamentary strategy and organisational issues, but the absence of two-thirds of the party’s Lok Sabha strength overshadowed the proceedings and raised concerns over internal unity.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief whip Anil Desai said the party leadership was considering issuing show-cause notices to the absent MPs for failing to attend despite a party whip. He said the MPs would have to explain their absence as they neither attended the meeting nor informed the leadership about any reason for skipping it.
The political controversy intensified after senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut criticised the absent MPs, suggesting that those who did not attend had betrayed the party’s trust.
The development has intensified speculation that the six MPs may be considering joining the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. However, none of the absent MPs has publicly commented on the reports or clarified the reasons behind their absence.
The episode comes at a crucial time for Shiv Sena (UBT), which has been attempting to strengthen its political position in Maharashtra after the 2022 split that led to Eknath Shinde taking control of the original Shiv Sena and aligning with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
Political observers believe any further defections from the Thackeray camp could significantly impact the political equations in Maharashtra, making the coming days crucial for the party leadership as it attempts to contain the crisis.
