Nimbalkar was among the six MPs who stayed away from the June 17 meeting convened by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
Amid the rebellion within Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Lok Sabha ranks, the party remains hopeful that Osmanabad (Dharashiv) MP Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar may yet return to its fold, party sources told news agency PTI on Saturday.The optimism comes even as none of the six dissident MPs have responded to show-cause notices issued by the party on June 18 for skipping a parliamentary party meeting in Delhi.”Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar is on his way back (from the rebel camp),” a senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said on condition of anonymity, although the MP has not publicly clarified his position.Nimbalkar was among the six MPs who stayed away from the June 17 meeting convened by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. With Shiv Sena (UBT) holding nine seats in the Lok Sabha, the rebel faction requires the support of at least six MPs, or two-thirds of the parliamentary party, to avoid attracting provisions of the anti-defection law.The political uncertainty surrounding Nimbalkar deepened after a special court on Saturday acquitted former NCP minister Padamsinh Patil and seven others in the 2006 murder case of his father, Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar. Reacting to the verdict, Nimbalkar said he would decide his political course within the next two days after consulting people from his constituency.”I have never spoken against Uddhav Thackeray or Aaditya Thackeray, and I will not do so in future either,” he said.Expressing disappointment over the court’s decision, he added, “Good people, who live and behave correctly, face disappointment. This is Kalyug.”Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Desai said those who had waited two decades for justice would now understand “who is on their side and who is bogus”.Earlier this week, party leader Sanjay Raut alleged that attempts were being made to pressure MPs into defecting through both legal and psychological means. He had also claimed that Nimbalkar was promised a favourable outcome in his father’s murder case if he switched allegiance. Raut pointed to the verdict being deferred from Wednesday to Saturday as part of his allegation.Nimbalkar, however, dismissed those claims.Asked whether the doors of Matoshri, the residence of the Thackeray family, would remain open to Nimbalkar, Desai said the decision would ultimately rest with Uddhav Thackeray.Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said the party had received no response from any of the six dissident MPs despite seeking replies within 24 hours of issuing the notices.The notices were served on June 18 after the MPs failed to attend the parliamentary party meeting despite a whip being issued.”We have not received any reply from them (rebel MPs),” Sawant told PTI.Sources said the party’s next move could be to approach the Lok Sabha Speaker and seek the disqualification of the rebel MPs for allegedly defying the party whip.
