Five Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs skipped a unity meeting called by party leader Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree in Maharashtra [1].
The absence of these lawmakers has triggered widespread speculation regarding potential defections, which could significantly weaken the party's standing in the legislature.
The lawmakers who missed the gathering include Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Omraje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, and Nagesh Patil Ashtikar [1]. In response to the vacancy, Thackeray has issued a 48-hour ultimatum [1] for a face-to-face meeting to resolve the tension.
While the party leadership attempts to maintain a front of stability, external observers suggest a deeper fracture. MLC Krupal Tumane said that seven of the party's MPs are now ready to jump ship [2]. This claim suggests a larger internal crisis, as the party holds a total of nine Lok Sabha seats [2].
However, the party has officially denied that any split is occurring. Sanjay Raut said that reports of MPs defecting are false [3]. He said that the lawmakers remain supportive of Uddhav Thackeray.
The situation remains volatile as the party navigates these conflicting accounts of loyalty. The 48-hour window set by Thackeray serves as a critical deadline to determine whether the five absent MPs will return to the fold or formally break away from the faction.
“Reports of MPs defecting are false.”
The potential loss of five or more MPs from a total of nine would effectively dismantle the Shiv Sena (UBT) presence in the Lok Sabha. If the claims by Krupal Tumane are accurate, the party faces an existential threat to its legislative influence, while the denial by Sanjay Raut suggests an attempt to prevent a domino effect of defections.
