The six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs, including Sanjay Dina Patel, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchor, Nagesh Patel Ashtekar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, formally joined the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday. They made the announcement officially during a press conference in Mumbai.
This move increased the number of Sena MPs from 7 to 13. This increased the strength of the Shiv Sena.
The Shiv Sena UBT crisis directly follows
Maharashtra DCM Eknath Shinde welcomed six Shiv Sena (UBT) rebel MPs into his fold and said their appointment marked the “second phase” of the political realignment that began with his 2022 revolt against Uddhav Thackeray.
Shinde said all formalities have been completed and the MPs have officially joined the Shiv Sena, which he described as the true heir to Bal Thackeray’s ideology. Describing the move as a “six” for his camp, Shinde stressed that his faction’s struggle was aimed at protecting Balasaheb’s vision and values.
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He denied the allegations surrounding the defections and said the six MPs were veteran workers who joined the party out of conviction.
Where it all started
These six rebel MPs had skipped the Sena parliamentary party’s (UBT) meeting in Delhi on June 17, sparking speculation that they were on their way to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Nagesh Patil Ashtekar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar were the only MPs to confirm their move to the Shinde group.
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Six MPs were impressed by the work of Sena leader Eknath Shinde and MP Shrikant Shinde and joined the Sena today, Transport Minister and Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik said. They had sent a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and wanted to follow the ideology of Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
The six representatives are running in the 2029 elections
Shinde said at the press conference that the six MPs who joined his party did so voluntarily and without any pressure. All six will contest the 2029 Lok Sabha elections on Shiv Sena tickets and will return to Parliament with victories from their respective constituencies, he said.
