Split looks imminent in Uddhav’s Sena as rebels call presser today

After days of speculations and negotiations, the rebellion in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena is all set to find a conclusion, with the rebels reported to announce their split in a press conference on Sunday (June 21).

India Today, quoting sources, said that the MPs in a joint press conference will also release photographs and video footage of their meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and share a copy of their letter to him mentioning their exit from the Shiv Sena (UBT). They are also expected to share the reason behind their exit from the party.

The rebellion

The Sena (UBT), which was split by a rebellion in 2023 orchestrated by Eknath Shinde in 2022, has been rattled by the threat of another when six of its MPs – Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Omraje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, and Sanjay Dina Patil – were reported to be in talks with the Shinde faction for a switchover.

Also read: Sena muddle: Uddhav says ready to quit; Shinde says there is more to come

Speculations about Operation Tiger, an alleged poaching attempt orchestrated by Shinde’s Sena faction, gained momentum when the MPs didn’t show up at their party’s parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi, in defiance of the strict party whip.

The party on June 18 had served a show-cause notice on the MPs for skipping the parliamentary party meeting, but didn’t get any response.

‘MPs met Shindes, gave letter to Birla’

Reports said that the MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on June 17 to convey their decision to break away from the Uddhav faction.

The India Today report says that the MLAs had reached Delhi from different parts of the country and stayed at a hotel in Noida. They later held a meeting with Shinde and his son, Shrikanth.

On the morning of June 18 morning, Shrikanth and Nimbalkar met Birla at around 7 am, the report says. The other five MPs reportedly met Birla at 10.20 am to submit their letter announcing their merger with the Shinde faction of the Sena while requesting that their seats be changed in the House.

Also read: Another Sena breakaway? Six MPs push Uddhav to the brink

After the meeting, the MPs reportedly left for Chennai, Varanasi, Pune and Mumbai.

India Today said that for Sunday’s press conference, two of the MPs will arrive in Mumbai from Chennai, while another two will come from Kolkata. One of the rebel MPs is in Pune and the other one in Mumbai. All six MPs are expected to meet Shinde after the meeting and may seek another meeting with Birla if required, the report added.

Will Nimbalkar rethink decision?

It is still not known if Osmanabad (Dharashiv) MP Nimbalkar would go ahead with the defection.

Amid the defection buzz, the Uddhav faction of the Sena was hopeful that Nimbalkar may rethink his decision to leave the party, especially after a special court on Saturday (June 20) acquitted former NCP minister Padamsinh Patil and seven others in the 2006 murder case of his father and Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar.

Also read: How a 20-year-old case’s verdict could upset Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs’ defection arithmetic

Responding to the acquittal, Nimbalkar had said that he will decide his political stand after consulting the people of his constituency.

"Good people, who live and behave correctly, face disappointment. This is Kalyug," he said, disappointed by the trial court's verdict.

Pacification, damage control attempts go in vain

Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray extended an olive branch to dissident MPs, saying those who want to come back are welcome as party chief Uddhav Thackeray has a large heart. He also warned that action will be taken against those who go against the party.

Also read: At 60, Shiv Sena battles its biggest survival crisis; will the tiger roar again?

Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut had alleged that legal and psychological pressure were being used to coerce the party MPs to defect.

While the rebel MPs were also absent at an urgent meeting held at Uddhav’s residence Matoshree, to rustle up damage control measures, Raut dismissing any buzz of defection said that the parliamentarians joined the meeting virtually and one of them would speak to Uddhav over the phone.

But it soon turned out to be the opposite when Jadhav was seen holding a meeting with Prataprao Jadhav, a Union minister belonging to the Shinde camp.