New Delhi, July 18: Uddhav Thackeray and his faction of Shiv Sena (UBT) have suffered a significant blow ahead of the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, which runs from July 20 to August 13. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has formally approved the merger of six rebel MPs from Thackeray’s faction into Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena.
The Lok Sabha Secretariat has granted approval to all six MPs, confirming their merger with Shinde’s faction. This brings the total number of Shinde’s MPs in the Lok Sabha to 13. Meanwhile, 20 rebel MPs from the Trinamool Congress, who have joined the NCP, have also been allowed to sit separately.
Anand Dubey, spokesperson for Shiv Sena UBT, reacted sharply to the merger of the six MPs. He stated that they have been fighting since 2022 when their party was being fractured. However, they still do not understand what their mistake was. He accused the Shinde faction of stealing their party name and election symbol, highlighting the significant role played by former Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in this matter. Dubey lamented that once again, in 2026, their party has been divided, and their six MPs have been taken away, with Speaker Om Birla playing a crucial role.
He further expressed frustration over the judicial process, stating that when they approach the court, it takes time, and they are met with repeated delays. The MPs who have been taken away are being labeled as members of Shinde’s Shiv Sena, despite being elected under their name and symbol. Dubey criticized the Speaker’s decision, which was made without hearing both sides, indicating a weakening of democracy.
Last month, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena executed ‘Operation Tiger,’ leading to a split within Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT). The six Lok Sabha MPs from the UBT faction have now officially joined Shinde’s group.
The rebel MPs include Omprakash Bhupal Singh, also known as Omrajee Nimbalkar (Dharsiv/Osmanabad), Nagesh Bapurav Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli), Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim), Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchoure (Shirdi), and Sanjay Deena Patil (Mumbai North East).
As a result of this political upheaval, the number of Shiv Sena UBT MPs in the Lok Sabha has decreased from 9 to 3, while Shinde’s faction has increased from 7 to 13. Uddhav Thackeray’s camp now includes Arvind Sawant (Mumbai South), Anil Desai (Mumbai South Central), and Rajabhau Waje (Nashik).
It is noteworthy that this monsoon session is commencing amidst altered political dynamics. The NDA is striving to bolster its strength in Parliament to pass several key bills. The government’s priority is to advance the constitutional amendment bill related to women’s reservation and delimitation, which requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
Meanwhile, the opposition is preparing to corner the government on issues such as the NEET paper leak, Ayodhya Ram Temple donation controversy, inflation, and other pressing matters.
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