6 Sena (UBT) MPs Out Of 9 Set To Join Shinde Camp

Mumbai: In yet another major setback to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs have reportedly switched loyalty to Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. They have submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition of their merger with the Shinde-led party.

The development comes amid growing speculation over “Operation Tiger”, an alleged effort by the Shinde camp to engineer a split in the Uddhav faction. The six MPs are expected to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on June 19, the party’s foundation day.

Shiv Sena (UBT) has nine MPs in the Lok Sabha, and at least six of them would have to switch sides together to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law. The six MPs whose names are doing the rounds are Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal), Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli), Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv) and Sanjay Patil (Mumbai North East).

The other three MPs — Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waze — have pledged support to Uddhav Thackeray.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, along with Sawant and Desai, met Birla and urged him not to recognise any separate group formed by defecting party MPs. The Shinde Sena camp, however, claimed that Birla had recognised the group of six MPs as a separate bloc.

Raut alleged that ₹15 crore was being paid to each MP as an advance to “buy” them. “I got a call from an important person. He told me the MPs have been promised ₹50 crore, with ₹15 crore as an advance. MPs are being bought in Maharashtra,” he alleged.

Raut also alleged that Omraje Nimbalkar was lured with a “favourable” verdict in the murder case of his father, Pawanraje Nimbalkar, to switch from Shiv Sena (UBT) to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Alleging pressure on Nimbalkar, Raut said the verdict in the 20-year-old murder case was scheduled for Wednesday. “Omraje was called and told that if he wanted the decision in his favour, he should defect. That is why the hearing was adjourned to June 20,” Raut said.

Pawanraje Nimbalkar was allegedly killed by NCP leader Dr Padmasinh Patil in 2006. After 20 years, a special CBI court was scheduled to deliver the verdict on May 14. It was later deferred to June 16 and is now likely on June 20.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) has issued a whip directing all its Lok Sabha MPs to attend a parliamentary party meeting in Delhi at 11 am on Thursday. The whip, issued by Anil Desai, the party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha, warned of action if MPs failed to attend.

“All Lok Sabha members of Shiv Sena (UBT) are hereby informed that an important meeting of the Parliamentary Party regarding various issues concerning the party will be held on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at 11 am at Parliamentary Party Office 128-A, Parliament House, New Delhi. All Lok Sabha members of Shiv Sena (UBT) must remain present for the meeting,” the whip stated.

Late on Tuesday, Arvind Sawant met Speaker Om Birla in Delhi and urged him not to grant recognition to any breakaway faction without first hearing the party’s side.

In a letter submitted to the Speaker, Sawant asserted that Shiv Sena (UBT) continues to be a single recognised political party in Parliament and cautioned against granting any status or privileges to a splinter group. The party has also indicated that it may explore legal remedies, including action under anti-defection provisions.

Meanwhile, Sanjay Patil dismissed speculation linking him to a possible rebellion and reiterated his commitment to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. “I deny being on any rebel list. I am an MP of Shiv Sena (UBT) and will remain in Shiv Sena (UBT),” he said.