Six rebel MPs from Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, intensifying political tensions within the party as they push for separation and alignment with the Eknath Shinde-led faction.
According to sources, the MPs reportedly told the Speaker that the original Shiv Sena under Uddhav Thackeray had drifted from its core ideology. They further alleged that senior leaders were considering a future merger with the Congress, part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, which they cited as a reason for their decision to break away.
The MPs also requested that their seating arrangement in the Lok Sabha be shifted closer to the group of seven MPs aligned with the Shinde faction.
The development comes amid a widening internal crisis in the Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction), with the party accusing the rebels of anti-party activities. The Thackeray camp has issued a seven-day show cause notice and urged the Speaker not to entertain demands related to separation and seat changes.
Sources also suggest dissatisfaction among the rebel MPs over leadership issues, lack of constituency engagement, and insufficient electoral support from the party leadership.
The political controversy has unfolded over the past several days, with reports indicating that some MPs were initially untraceable and had switched off their phones before surfacing in Delhi.
After meeting the Speaker, the MPs reportedly travelled to different locations including Tirupati, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mumbai and Pune. Earlier, they had gathered in Delhi and were accommodated in a Noida hotel before attending key meetings with leaders linked to the Shinde faction.
The Thackeray camp has strongly rejected the rebellion narrative, with senior leaders criticising the MPs and accusing them of attempting to weaken the party for political gain. The group also faced backlash for skipping an official party whip requiring their presence at a meeting.
Further developments are expected after the rebels meet Eknath Shinde again, following which they are likely to formalise their position before the Speaker.
