Seven Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Likely to Merge with Eknath Shinde Faction
Mumbai/New Delhi: Six of the nine Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs in the Lok Sabha did not attend the party's parliamentary meeting on Thursday, and sources indicate they are preparing to formally merge with the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The development could increase the strength of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to 313 members, once the merger of 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs is also formalised.
The MPs who skipped the meeting are Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Sanjay Dina Patil, and Omraje Nimbalkar. Sources familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they are expected to approach Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on June 21 or June 22 to file a formal claim for merger with the Shiv Sena led by Shinde. Shrikant Shinde, the Chief Minister's son, is the leader of the Shinde faction in the Lok Sabha.
The rebel MPs are said to be trying to persuade Nashik MP Rajabhau Waje to join them. Although Waje attended the Thursday meeting along with Uddhav Thackeray loyalists Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, and Sanjay Raut, sources expressed optimism about his inclusion. Under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, a merger is valid if two-thirds of a legislature party agrees to merge with another party. If Waje joins, the rebel group would have seven MPs, meeting this threshold.
The draft letter to be submitted to the Speaker reportedly cites dissatisfaction with the functioning of the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership under Uddhav Thackeray. It lists instances of senior leaders leaving the party, including Narayan Rane in 2005, Raj Thackeray in 2006, and Eknath Shinde's rebellion in 2022, which led to the split in the party.
If the merger is formalised, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena would have 13 to 14 MPs, making it the third-largest NDA partner after the Telugu Desam Party (16) and Janata Dal (United) (12). The NDA currently has 293 members, needing 362 for a two-thirds majority. With the addition of the 20 Trinamool Congress rebels who have formed the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), the coalition would reach 313.
The development comes amid speculation of a Cabinet reshuffle after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from the G-7 Summit. A strengthened Shiv Sena could provide Shinde leverage in the NDA, especially after the BJP's strong performance in the Maharashtra assembly elections, where it won 132 seats out of 288. BJP leaders have stressed the need to increase the coalition's parliamentary strength after the failure to pass a constitutional amendment bill in April. The government aims to secure a two-thirds majority to pass bills related to delimitation and women's reservation.
The political landscape in Maharashtra's Mahayuti alliance may also shift if the Shinde faction gains more seats. The final outcome depends on the Speaker's decision on the merger claim and the recognition of the NCPI as a separate entity.
