Shiv Sena (UBT) Seeks Speaker's Intervention Amidst Fresh Defection Fears

Mumbai, India – In a significant political maneuver, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Arvind Sawant has formally written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking immediate intervention to prevent further fragmentation within the party. The letter, penned under the direct guidance of party president Uddhav Thackeray, addresses mounting speculation and media reports indicating that several UBT Members of Parliament (MPs) are contemplating switching allegiance to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction.

Sawant, who also serves as the Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentary leader, submitted the crucial representation on June 16, explicitly requesting the Speaker not to grant any separate identity, privileges, or official recognition to any splinter group or individuals claiming to represent the Shiv Sena independently of its parent organization. The letter further implores the Speaker to refrain from making any decisions on such requests without first consulting the Shiv Sena (UBT) and allowing the party to present its stance.

This urgent appeal comes amidst what has been described as 'Operation Tiger' – a political buzz suggesting that as many as six to seven of the UBT's nine Lok Sabha MPs might be considering a move to the rival Shinde camp. Media reports have highlighted an 'uproar' within the Uddhav Thackeray faction due to these ongoing rebellion concerns. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut had earlier dismissed these reports, claiming they were lies and asserting that MPs had reaffirmed their loyalty to Uddhav Thackeray. However, he later alleged that 'Rs 15 crore was being paid individually to 'buy MPs,' signaling the intensity of the political struggle.

The timing of Sawant's letter is critical, arriving as the UBT camp reportedly struggles to reach some of its Lok Sabha MPs, whose phones have been switched off, fueling the defection rumors. The party has also scheduled a parliamentary committee meeting, with legal action threatened against those who fail to attend. Congress leaders, allies of the UBT in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, have also weighed in, accusing the BJP of attempting to destabilize opposition parties for numerical advantage in Parliament.

Sawant's letter is not merely a political plea but a detailed constitutional argument. It asserts that lawmakers elected on the Shiv Sena (UBT) symbol cannot independently claim the party's identity within Parliament. Crucially, it references the anti-defection provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. Sawant noted that constitutional protection for a 'split,' previously available under Paragraph 3 of the Tenth Schedule, no longer exists after its removal via the 91st Constitutional Amendment.

Furthermore, the letter cites the Supreme Court's 2023 judgment in the Subhash Desai case, which reinforced that authority over party leadership, issuance of whips, and official directions remains with the original political organization, not merely its legislative group. Sawant underscored that a valid merger under the Tenth Schedule necessitates not only the support of at least two-thirds of legislators but also a merger of the original political party itself. Any attempt by MPs to act independently without such a party-level merger could be construed as voluntarily relinquishing party membership, thus triggering disqualification proceedings.

The role of the Lok Sabha Speaker in such matters is paramount. The Speaker acts as a quasi-judicial authority under the Tenth Schedule, empowered to decide on the disqualification of Members of Parliament for defection. Their decisions, while subject to judicial review, are initially authoritative in upholding the anti-defection law designed to prevent political instability caused by frequent party switching. The UBT's proactive step aims to influence the Speaker's potential actions, ensuring that any claims by a breakaway group are scrutinized under the current legal framework.

This development is a direct consequence of the 2022 Maharashtra political crisis, which saw Eknath Shinde's rebellion split the Shiv Sena, leading to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and the formation of a new government with the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Election Commission of India later recognized the Shinde faction as the legitimate Shiv Sena, allotting them the original 'bow and arrow' symbol, while Uddhav Thackeray's faction was designated Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) with the 'flaming torch' symbol. The ongoing legal battle over the party's ownership continues in the Supreme Court.

Arvind Sawant's letter, therefore, is a critical move by the Shiv Sena (UBT) to safeguard its remaining parliamentary strength and prevent a recurrence of the devastating splits that have plagued the party since 2022. It highlights the high stakes involved in the struggle for political identity and survival in Maharashtra's volatile political landscape.