Foundation Day Coup? Shiv Sena UBT In Panic As MPs Go Incommunicado, Names of 6 UBT MPs Likely To Join Shinde Sena Revealed

New Delhi: The Shiv Sena (UBT) appears to be heading towards another major political crisis, with six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs reportedly preparing to break away and align with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction.

According to top sources, MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction are scheduled to meet at the Delhi residence of Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde at around 8:30 am on Wednesday. Eknath Shinde and Shrikant Shinde are both expected to be present during the meeting.

Sources indicated that the rebel MPs are likely to first complete the formal process of constituting a separate group within the Lok Sabha before subsequently merging with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.  Six Uddhav Thackeray faction MPs will join the Shiv Sena Shinde faction on June 19, Foundation Day.

The six MPs reportedly in touch with the Shinde camp are Omraje Nimbalkar from Dharashiv, Sanjay Jadhav from Parbhani, Sanjay Dina Patil from Mumbai North East, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar from Hingoli, Bhausaheb Wakchaure from Shirdi, and Sanjay Deshmukh from Yavatmal-Washim. The name of Rajabhau Waje has also surfaced in discussions surrounding the possible split.

Sources further claimed that Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure and Sanjay Dina Patil had already reached Delhi. 

Eknath Shinde's legal team has arrived in Delhi to manage constitutional formalities for potential Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs' induction into the Shinde-led faction. 

Shinde has directed his team to be alert to prevent legal disputes or technical issues, ensuring all procedures comply with regulations amid these anticipated political developments.

Amid the unfolding crisis, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut, Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai are scheduled to hold a joint press conference in the national capital. Raut and Desai are understood to be in Delhi to prevent a split within the party ranks.

Adding to the political drama, Sanjay Raut took to X and alleged that attempts were being made to engineer defections through monetary inducements. Tagging Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Raut claimed that an advance payment of Rs 15 crore each was being offered to MPs.

"To buy Maharashtra's MPs... tonight, an advance of Rs 15 crores each is being given. This information is shocking and disgusting," Raut wrote on X. However, no evidence supporting the allegation has been made public so far.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha leader Arvind Sawant has written to Speaker Om Birla, urging him to continue recognising Shiv Sena (UBT) as the sole political party represented in the House through its authorised leadership and whip.

Shrikant Shinde is set to meet six rebel MPs from the Uddhav faction at 11 AM today, with Eknath Shinde also holding a secret meeting with them. The objective is to execute 'Operation Tiger' today. 

The rebel faction will meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla separately to submit a letter. Sources indicate that Uddhav Thackeray faction MPs will convene at Shrikant Shinde's Delhi residence, aiming to establish a separate faction within the Lok Sabha before merging with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

In his letter, Sawant requested the Speaker not to grant separate recognition, status or privileges to any breakaway group claiming to represent the party without first hearing Shiv Sena (UBT)'s case. He also asserted that the party reserved its right to invoke provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution concerning anti-defection proceedings.

Uddhav Thackeray contacted senior leaders amidst chaos. Hingoli MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and the UBT faction submitted a document to Parbhani MP Sanjay Jadhav. Many MPs expressed frustration over Thackeray's inaccessibility and insufficient funds, leading to dissent.

The latest developments revive memories of the 2022 split in the undivided Shiv Sena and could reshape Maharashtra's political landscape once again, while also altering the opposition's arithmetic in Parliament.

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