Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday suffered a massive setback after six out of the party's Lok Sabha members didn't attend the party's parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi. The development comes amid speculations that the six MPs are considering a switch to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, splitting the Uddhav Sena once again.
The Uddhav Sena has nine Lok Sabha members. Of them, only three attended Thursday's parliamentary meeting: Anil Desai, Arvind Sawant and Rajabhau Parag Prakash Waje. The rest six MPs -- Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Omraje Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh and Nagesh Patil Ashtikar -- didn't turn for the meeting, according to sources.
Desai, who is UBT's chief whip, has said the party is considering action against the MPs who skipped the meeting and a show cause notice will be sent to them. "They will have to explain why didn't they attend the meeting despite the whip. Additionally, they didn't provide any details why they failed to attend the meeting," Desai told reporters.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, considered a close aide of Thackeray, has said described the MPs as 'traitors'. "If the other 6 MPs met the Speaker, show us a photo of the same... This is not called strategy, this is betrayal. They are still the members of our party and won on our symbol. If they have violated the party whip, they will have to face legal action," he said.
Dissenters have joined Shinde Sena?
Shiv Sena MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi has said the six MPs have already joined the Shinde Sena, although there has been no official confirmation on this yet. "Operation Tiger has taken place in Maharashtra. Today, six MPs expressed their confidence in Eknath Shinde and have joined Shiv Sena... It is good that they joined us. I welcome them," he was quoted by news agency ANI as saying.
Though it should be noted that the Uddhav Sena had already submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and urged him not to recognise any other section as the UBT, while maintaining that Shiv Sena (UBT) remains the real Shiv Sena.
But if the six MPs have joined the Shinde Sena, then it is a huge boost for Eknath Shinde's faction. The party has five MPs in the Lower House and its strength would rise to 11 if the six legislators switch sides.
The Shinde Sena has also taken a dig at the Uddhav Sena and said the party needs an introspection on why its leaders are leaving the party. "Every party worker is happy with Eknath Shinde ji and he is extremely popular. However, they will never be able to understanding," said Shaina NC.
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