Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in Delhi to request intervention regarding MPs leaving the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction [1].
This move follows a series of defections that threaten the unity of the party and its standing within India's lower house of Parliament. The shift of lawmakers from the Thackeray camp to the rival Eknath Shinde faction alters the political balance in Maharashtra.
Sawant, joined by MP Anil Desai, submitted a formal request to the Speaker to address the crisis [1]. The request centers on the instability caused by members abandoning the UBT faction to join the Shinde camp [1], [2].
Reports indicate that six MPs have defected to the Eknath Shinde camp [2]. Other reports suggest that between six and seven Lok Sabha MPs may be planning to join Shinde [3]. This volatility has prompted the party leadership to seek a formal resolution through the Speaker's office to mitigate further losses.
The conflict between the two Shiv Sena factions has persisted as both claim legitimacy over the party's identity and legacy. The current wave of defections represents a significant blow to the opposition's strength in the legislature [2].
Sawant and Desai said the Speaker needs to recognize the impact of these shifts on parliamentary representation [1]. The party is now awaiting a response from the Speaker's office regarding the submitted request for intervention [1].
“Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs seek Speaker intervention over party defections.”
The request for Speaker intervention highlights the fragility of the Shiv Sena (UBT) coalition. If the Speaker does not act or if defections continue, the Uddhav Thackeray faction faces a diminished voice in the Lok Sabha, potentially shifting the legislative leverage toward the Eknath Shinde camp and the ruling coalition.
