- Four UBT legislators skipped Uddhav Thackeray’s emergency meeting.
Maharashtra minister Uday Samant on Tuesday suggested that more leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT) could switch sides in the coming days, a day after six Lok Sabha MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led party joined the Eknath Shinde faction.
Samant described the latest political developments as only the beginning and indicated that further defections could follow. He also signalled that the Shinde-led Shiv Sena would now focus its attention on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and legislators aligned with the Shiv Sena (UBT).
His remarks came amid growing turbulence within the Uddhav Thackeray camp following one of the biggest setbacks faced by the party since the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena.
‘More Political Explosions Yet to Come’
Addressing reporters, Samant said the political landscape in Maharashtra was likely to witness further dramatic developments.
“The political explosion has already happened twice today, but many more explosions are yet to come,” he said. He added that these developments were not intended to trouble or defame anyone but reflected leaders choosing to accept Eknath Shinde’s leadership and join the party under his banner.
According to Samant, the latest defections demonstrate growing support for the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which has steadily expanded its influence since the split with the Uddhav Thackeray faction.
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Shinde Camp Turns Focus to BMC and MLAs
Samant also revealed what he described as the party’s next political objective.
“Now the mission is the BMC and the MLAs. We will inform you about it step by step, in due course of time,” he said, hinting at future efforts to strengthen the party’s position in municipal and legislative politics.
His comments have fuelled speculation about possible defections among Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators and legislators ahead of key political battles in Maharashtra.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation remains a crucial political battleground, with control of the civic body carrying significant political and organisational importance in Mumbai.
Questions Raised Over Uddhav Thackeray’s Emergency Meeting
The developments gained further attention after reports emerged that three Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs and one MLC skipped an emergency meeting called by party chief Uddhav Thackeray.
When asked about the absence of some legislators, Samant refrained from making immediate conclusions.
“First, I will look at the names of who attended and who did not attend. It would be appropriate to comment on that later,” he said.
The missed meeting has intensified speculation about internal unease within the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction following the departure of six MPs.
Six MPs Cross Over to Shinde-Led Shiv Sena
Six Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha members formally joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Mumbai on Monday.
The MPs who switched allegiance are Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Omprakash Bhupalsingh Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh and Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar.
Before the latest development, Shiv Sena (UBT) had nine members in the Lok Sabha. Only three MPs attended a parliamentary party meeting convened by the Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit last week, amid reports of growing dissent within the party.
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Political Battle That Reshaped Shiv Sena
The latest defections come nearly four years after Eknath Shinde led a rebellion against then Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray in 2022.
The revolt saw a large group of MLAs break away from the party, triggering a split that dramatically altered Maharashtra’s political landscape. The dispute later reached the Election Commission, which recognised the Shinde faction as the official Shiv Sena.
Following the recent crossovers, the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction initiated disciplinary proceedings against the six MPs who eventually joined the Shinde camp, further deepening the divide between the two rival groups.
