Six Uddhav Sena MPs Defect to Shinde Camp, Bolstering His Faction

In a significant political development, six of the nine Lok Sabha MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction formally joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Mumbai on Monday evening, ending weeks of speculation about their allegiance.

The MPs who switched sides are: Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv), Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North-East), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim), Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli), and Bhausaheb Vakchaure (Shirdi).

Eknath Shinde, who led a rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray in June 2022, welcomed the new members, describing the move as a 'sixer' for his party. “Four years ago, we staged a rebellion with 40 MLAs. Now, we have hit a six – not a four, but a six. This is our sixer,” Shinde said at the event.

The defection carries legal implications under the anti-defection law. To avoid disqualification, the rebel group needed at least two-thirds of the total strength of the Uddhav faction's Lok Sabha MPs – precisely six – which they have now secured.

The development came after only three of the nine MPs attended an urgent parliamentary party meeting called by the Uddhav faction in Delhi, highlighting the internal rift.

Shinde took a swipe at Sanjay Raut, the Rajya Sabha MP and key spokesperson for the Uddhav faction, saying, “With the presence of three Sanjays, no other Sanjay counts anymore.”

The rebel MPs cited a lack of development funds for their constituencies as a primary reason for the switch. Shinde assured that his government would ensure adequate funding for their constituencies. “We will ensure there is no shortage of funds for the development of the constituencies represented by these MPs,” he said.

This defection marks the second major expansion of Shinde's Shiv Sena since the 2022 split. He noted that his party, once dismissed as a regional outfit, is now the second-largest party in Maharashtra. “Many people used to make fun of us, referring to us merely as a party from Thane. But now, we have become the second-largest party in Maharashtra,” Shinde said.

The move is expected to further consolidate Shinde's position within the state's political landscape, while dealing a blow to the Uddhav faction ahead of upcoming elections.