In a major political setback to Shiv Sena (UBT), a group of six MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction has extended their support to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The Lok Sabha MPs have written a letter to Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as a separate parliamentary group. The move comes amid rising speculation over a fresh split in the Thackeray-led party, nearly 4 years after Shinde’s rebellion reshaped the political landscape in Maharashtra.
The proposed rebel group has already received “in-principle approval”, with the clearance said to have been granted around 3 pm on Tuesday, sources told News18 Marathi. There is, however, no official confirmation from the Secretariat of the upper house regarding the claim.
Sources further added that after the reported approval, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde and many senior leaders headed to Delhi immediately. Meetings were held with legal experts after they reached the national capital. As part of the plan, the Members of Parliament (MPs) who have signed the letter are expected to appear before Speaker Om Birla in the coming days, reports added.
Sanjay Raut takes a jibe at alleged poaching attempts
Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday, June 16, claimed that the “market rate” to buy an MP was fixed at Rs 50 crore and that Rs 15 crore was given merely as an advance payment. “I have information that Rs 15 crore each was delivered to the MPs, after which they boarded charter flights from three places, including Nanded and Pune. We have issued a whip for the Parliamentary Party Meeting tomorrow. Arvind ji (Arvind Sawant) has written to the Lok Sabha Speaker,” he said.
Who are 6 Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs who wrote letter to Speaker Om Birla?
- Sanjay Dina Patil
- Sanjay Deshmukh
- Nagesh Patil Ashtikar
- Omraje Nimbalkar
- Bhausaheb Wakchaure
- Sanjay Jadhav
Only 3 MPs stand with Uddhav Thackeray
At the same time, out of the nine MPs who won on Shiv Sena (UBT) tickets, six have come together, while three MPs are still standing with Thackeray. Amid growing speculation of a rebellion within the Shiv Sena (UBT), Arvind Sawant, Chief Whip Anil Desai, and Nashik MP Rajabhau Waje were present at a press conference held at Sanjay Raut’s residence in Delhi. However, only three of the party’s nine Lok Sabha MPs attended the meeting, while six remained absent, fuelling speculation of a possible split in Uddhav Thackeray’s faction.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that six of the nine MPs elected on Shiv Sena (UBT) tickets have aligned themselves with the rival faction, while the remaining three continue to support Uddhav Thackeray. Reacting to the development, he said that all nine MPs had won on the party’s ticket, crediting Thackeray’s efforts and the party’s support for their victories.
