Six Members of Parliament from Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) joined Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena on Monday, delivering a major setback to the opposition party ahead of crucial political contests in the state.
The switch follows days of intense speculation about the MPs’ political future, with reports suggesting they had been in contact with Shinde’s camp amid growing uncertainty within the Uddhav faction. The move further consolidates Shinde’s control over Shiv Sena and significantly expands his influence in Maharashtra politics.
The six MPs who skipped the Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentary party meeting in Delhi on June 17 are Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar, and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar. Shiv Sena (UBT) currently has nine Lok Sabha MPs, and the rebel group needed at least six members to meet the two-thirds threshold.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde welcomed the six rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs into his party, stating that they had joined the Shiv Sena which follows the ideals of its founder, Bal Thackeray. He added that all necessary procedures and formalities had been completed, and the lawmakers were now officially part of Shiv Sena.
While addressing a press conference after inducting six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs into his faction, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde described the development as a major boost for the party.
“Not one, but six tigers are present here with me today. We have hit a six this time,” Shinde said.
Referring to the 2022 split in Shiv Sena, he said the rebellion was initiated to safeguard the party’s saffron ideology and its ‘bow and arrow’ symbol. He described the latest induction of the MPs as a “second revolt” and claimed it demonstrated growing support for his leadership and the party’s ideological principles.
Shinde said his faction had worked tirelessly to strengthen Shiv Sena over the past four years and remained firmly committed to the Hindutva ideology. He accused some leaders of abandoning the party’s principles and betraying the mandate of the voters.
The Shiv Sena chief also assured the newly inducted MPs that their concerns and the developmental needs of their constituencies would be addressed. Emphasising the party’s organisational culture, he said there were no masters or supreme leaders in Shiv Sena, and that everyone worked as equals committed to a common cause.
