Split Buzz Intensifies in Shiv Sena (UBT); Six MPs Reportedly Seek Separate Group Recognition

New Delhi/Mumbai, June 17: Speculation over a split in the Shiv Sena (UBT) intensified on Wednesday after reports claimed that six party MPs had sought recognition as a separate group by submitting a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, even as the party maintained that no official split had taken place.

According to media reports citing sources, the group submitted the letter to the Speaker on Tuesday and received in-principle approval later the same day. Following the reported development, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde and several senior party leaders travelled to New Delhi, where they held consultations with legal experts before the MPs were expected to appear before the Speaker.

Sources said the move to secure in-principle approval was aimed at preventing the Shiv Sena (UBT) whip from applying to the breakaway group, ensuring that recognition could not be withdrawn later and providing legal protection to the MPs supporting the move.

The six MPs reportedly associated with the proposed group are Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North East), Omraje Nimbalkar (Osmanabad/Dharashiv), Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli) and Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim).

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut took a swipe at the alleged attempts to engineer defections, claiming that the “minimum support price” of an MP had been fixed at Rs 50 crore and that Rs 15 crore was “merely an advance amount.”

Amid the speculation, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP from Nashik Rajabhau Waje dismissed reports of any rift within the party and reaffirmed his support for party chief Uddhav Thackeray.

“I am with Uddhav ji and will remain with him. I have no contacts with anyone else. I have not received any call from Shinde ji and I am not upset,” Waje told ANI, adding that he had travelled to Delhi only to attend a committee meeting.

Referring to the emergency meeting convened by Thackeray earlier this week, Waje said only four leaders attended in person while five others joined through video conferencing. He declined to comment on reports of MPs breaking away, saying he was unaware of the latest developments.

No official announcement regarding any split in the Shiv Sena (UBT) has been made by the party so far. (Agencies)