Shiv Sena (UBT) Proactively Appeals to Speaker as New Split Looms

NEW DELHI – The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction is grappling with the looming threat of another significant split, as senior party MP Arvind Sawant has urgently appealed to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to deny recognition to any 'breakaway' group of its Members of Parliament (MPs). This proactive measure comes amid mounting speculation and media reports suggesting that several Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs are contemplating switching allegiance to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Reports indicate that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde recently held a late-night meeting in Delhi with six MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray camp, fueling what is being termed 'Operation Tiger' – an alleged strategy to engineer defections. This development has intensified concerns within the Shiv Sena (UBT), prompting Sawant's swift action. The party currently has nine Lok Sabha MPs, and a defection by six or more would meet the two-thirds threshold required under the anti-defection law to avoid disqualification.

In his letter to Speaker Om Birla, dated Wednesday, June 17, Sawant explicitly requested that no 'recognition, status, privilege or facility' be accorded to any purported faction claiming to represent the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). He emphasized that the Shiv Sena (UBT) remains a single political entity in the House, represented by its duly authorized leader and whip. The letter further stressed that no decision should be made on any such request without first allowing the Shiv Sena (UBT) an opportunity to present its submissions.

Crucially, Sawant's communication also highlighted the party's intent to invoke the provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, commonly known as the anti-defection law, against any MPs whose conduct is inconsistent with constitutional principles. The Tenth Schedule, inserted by the 52nd Amendment in 1985, aims to prevent political defections by disqualifying legislators who switch parties. The law stipulates that a member can be disqualified if they voluntarily give up their party membership or vote against the party whip. However, an exception exists: if two-thirds of the legislators of a political party merge with another party, neither the members joining nor those remaining face disqualification.

This current political maneuvering echoes the dramatic split of the undivided Shiv Sena in June 2022, when Eknath Shinde led a rebellion that toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and eventually aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form a new government in Maharashtra. That initial split saw the original Shiv Sena faction effectively divided into the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). The legal battle over which faction constitutes the 'real' Shiv Sena, including the party name and symbol, remains sub judice before the Supreme Court.

The names of MPs reportedly in talks with the Shinde camp include Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim), Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli), Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv), and Sanjay Patil (Mumbai North East). Some of these MPs were notably absent from a recent meeting convened by Uddhav Thackeray at his Mumbai residence, Matoshree, which further intensified the defection rumors.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has vehemently denied any impending split, alleging that MPs are being offered significant sums of money – reportedly Rs 15 crore each – to switch sides. He asserted that the party remains 'intact, united and strong.'

The Speaker's role in such defection cases is crucial, as they are the ultimate decision-making authority for disqualification under the Tenth Schedule. While the Speaker is expected to act as a neutral, quasi-judicial authority, past instances have raised questions about impartiality due to political affiliations. The Supreme Court has, in various judgments, emphasized the need for the Speaker's neutrality and timely adjudication of disqualification petitions.

This latest development underscores the ongoing political volatility in Maharashtra and the delicate balance of power within parliamentary alliances. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is clearly attempting to use all available legal avenues to prevent a recurrence of the 2022 events, while the Eknath Shinde-led faction appears determined to consolidate its position. The political landscape will now closely watch Speaker Om Birla's response to Sawant's appeal and the actions of the reportedly defecting MPs, especially ahead of the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.