The Shiv Sena (UBT) expelled the son of MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar on Monday amid a growing rebellion within the party.
This internal crisis threatens the party's stability in the Lok Sabha, as a significant majority of its representatives prepare to switch allegiances to a rival faction.
Sanjay Raut, a leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), said the expulsion of Ashtikar's son was due to "anti-party activities" [1]. Simultaneously, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar quit the party on Monday, citing a "lack of trust" and the use of "harsh language" by party leadership [2]. Ashtikar also noted a lack of sufficient development funds for his constituency [2].
The departures come as the party faces a broader exodus. Six of the party's nine Lok Sabha MPs [2] are expected to join the faction led by Eknath Shinde [2]. This movement represents a critical threshold for the party's survival under current legislative rules.
Under the anti-defection law, a party must maintain a specific level of support to avoid disqualification. Specifically, the law requires two-thirds of the party's MPs to remain or merge to avoid such penalties [2]. With six of nine members poised to leave, the Shiv Sena (UBT) risks losing its legislative standing.
The tension between the Uddhav Thackeray-led camp and the Shinde faction has intensified as members cite systemic failures and leadership disputes as reasons for their departure. The party leadership has responded by purging those it deems disloyal, including the son of the rebel MP [1].
“"anti-party activities"”
The potential defection of six out of nine MPs would leave the Shiv Sena (UBT) with a skeleton crew in the Lok Sabha and could trigger disqualification proceedings under India's anti-defection laws. By failing to meet the two-thirds threshold required to protect members from being ousted, the party faces a total collapse of its parliamentary influence in favor of the Eknath Shinde faction.
