Six Lok Sabha MPs Abandon Uddhav Camp, Shinde Secures Second-Largest Party Status

In a significant political development in Maharashtra, six of the nine Lok Sabha MPs aligned with Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena faction joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Monday, marking another major setback for Team Thackeray. The move ended days of speculation surrounding a possible split within the parliamentary wing of the party and further strengthened Shinde's position within Maharashtra politics. The development comes four years after Shinde's rebellion reshaped the state's political landscape.

The six MPs who joined the Shinde camp are Omraje Nimbalkar from Dharashiv, Sanjay Dina Patil from Mumbai North-East, Sanjay Jadhav from Parbhani, Sanjay Deshmukh from Yavatmal-Washim, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar from Hingoli and Bhausaheb Vakchaure from Shirdi. Welcoming the leaders into his faction, Eknath Shinde described them as "six tigers" and said they had joined what he called the "real Shiv Sena family." He claimed the latest political shift represented the next stage in the expansion of his party.

Addressing supporters, Shinde drew comparisons with the June 2022 rebellion that saw 40 Shiv Sena MLAs break away from the Uddhav Thackeray-led camp. Referring to the latest development, he said his faction had now scored a "six" rather than a "four," using a cricket analogy to underline the significance of the defections. He also declared that "Operation Tiger," a term used for the effort to bring elected representatives into his camp, had been completed successfully.

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The timing of the switch gained attention after only three of the nine Shiv Sena MPs attended an emergency parliamentary party meeting called by the Uddhav Thackeray faction in New Delhi. Political observers had viewed the absence of several MPs as a sign of internal unrest. The rebel group secured the support of at least two-thirds of the parliamentary party, a threshold considered important under anti-defection provisions and parliamentary procedures.

Shinde also used the occasion to target Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, remarking that with three leaders named Sanjay joining his faction, "no other Sanjay counts anymore." He maintained that the transition had been carried out legally and constitutionally. According to Shinde, the original 2022 rebellion was aimed at preserving the Shiv Sena and its traditional symbol, while the latest development represents a broader organisational expansion.

The rebel MPs cited concerns over inadequate development funds for their constituencies as one of the reasons behind their decision. Responding to these concerns, Shinde assured that there would be no shortage of funds for development projects in the constituencies represented by the newly joined MPs. He also claimed that the enlarged Shiv Sena had now become the second-largest political party in Maharashtra, asserting that the party had grown far beyond its earlier image as a regional force centred around Thane.

Also Read: 'Only One Shiv Sena Remains': Amit Shah Backs Shinde, Targets Uddhav Camp