Sena-UBT Split: Rebels Fly to Delhi in Private Jets
The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction has issued show-cause notices to the dissidents, giving them seven days to explain their conduct
Mumbai: A split in the Shiv Sena(UBT) appeared imminent on Thursday after only three of its nine Lok Sabha members attended a crucial parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi despite a party whip directing all members to be present. While the six absent MPs issued no statement, their absence effectively confirmed reports of a rebellion within the party. The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction has issued show-cause notices to the dissidents, giving them seven days to explain their conduct.
According to reports, the six MPs have submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as a separate group and expressing their intention to merge with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The lawmakers are understood to have argued that the Thackeray-led party has drifted away from the ideological legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray and is exploring a merger with the Congress.
Only Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje attended the parliamentary party meeting. Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Omraje Nimbalkar and Sanjay Dina Patil skipped the crucial party meeting.
Sawant, who is also the Shiv Sena(UBT) Lok Sabha leader, said the party will follow due process before initiating disciplinary action. “Despite the party whip being issued, six MPs skipped the meeting. Not attending the meeting amounts to anti-party activity. Show-cause notices will be issued to them, and they will be given seven days to explain their stand,” he said, adding that further action, including approaching the Lok Sabha Speaker, will be considered after receiving their responses.
Desai, the Shiv Sena(UBT) Rajya Sabha member, also confirmed that notices have been issued to the six MPs for allegedly violating the party whip.
Senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut launched a sharp attack on the rebels and questioned their political morality. “If the rebel MPs have any morality, they should resign and get re-elected,” he said.
The Rajya Sabha MP also claimed that NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar had told him over the phone that he would personally campaign against the rebel MPs in their constituencies. “If any MP from the Shiv Sena(UBT), the NCP(SP) or the Congress defects, they should not be given a free hand. They must be taught a lesson. For this, all three parties will come together,” Raut said.
According to reports, Ashtikar was the first among the rebel MPs to arrive in Delhi on June 16, flying in from Nanded on a private jet. Within hours, Deshmukh and Jadhav also reached the national capital from Nanded on separate private aircraft, while Wakchaure arrived from Hyderabad. Later that night, Patil landed in Delhi along with Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik.
Nimbalkar was the last member of the rebel group to reach Delhi, after which the letter signed by all six rebel MPs seeking recognition as a separate group and expressing their intention to merge with the Shiv Sena was submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker. The six MPs are expected to meet Shinde again on Saturday, after which they will likely make public the letter submitted to Birla.
