After MPs' exit, four Uddhav Sena legislators skip party's strategy meet
Three Shiv Sena MLAs and one MLC skipped Uddhav Thackeray's legislature party meeting on the opening day of the Maharashtra Assembly's monsoon session.
As Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) grapples with the political fallout of the defection of its six Lok Sabha MPs, four of its state legislators skipped a legislative party meeting convened by the party chief on Monday, the opening day of the Maharashtra Legislature's monsoon session.
The absence of the four legislators -- three MLAs and one MLC -- , amid heightened political uncertainty, drew attention as the meeting was convened to finalise the party's strategy for the Assembly session and project unity following the parliamentary defections.
The legislators who did not attend the meeting were MLAs Sanjay Derkar, Rahul Patil and Sanjay Potnis, along with MLC Sunil Shinde.
However, party sources claimed that all four had informed the leadership in advance that they would not be able to attend. They cited reasons including preparations for the upcoming Legislative Council elections, ill health and personal commitments.
The development came on the same day that six of the party's nine Lok Sabha MPs formally defected to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, bringing an end to days of political uncertainty, altering the party's parliamentary strength and further consolidating Shinde's claim over Shiv Sena's legacy.
Despite the MLAs' absence from the meeting, sources said there was no indication of another round of defections from the party. The meeting was attended by the remaining 22 legislators and concluded with a group photograph alongside Thackeray, in what was seen as a symbolic show of unity.
During the meeting, Thackeray asked the party's MLAs and MLCs to aggressively raise issues concerning farmers, unemployment, water scarcity and other public concerns during the legislature session. He also urged legislators to present a united front at a time when the party is dealing with the fallout of losing six MPs to the rival Sena faction.
According to sources, Thackeray also directed legislators to intensify organisational outreach by holding meetings with party workers in the parliamentary constituencies represented by the rebel MPs, signalling the party's efforts to retain its support base on the ground.
Speaking after the meeting, Shiv Sena (UBT) Legislative Council leader Ambadas Danve said the legislature party had finalised its strategy for the session.
"It was a meeting of the Shiv Sena (UBT) legislature party. We discussed how to raise issues concerning farmers, youth, Mumbai, and regions such as Vidarbha and Marathwada, including the water crisis. Shiv Sena (UBT) is the largest Opposition party in the legislature, so we have to function aggressively and in a systematic manner," Danve said.
He said a meeting of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has been scheduled for Wednesday to coordinate the Opposition's strategy in the legislature.
Danve also reiterated that Shiv Sena (UBT) continues to stake claim to the post of Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.
When asked whether 'Operation Tiger' and speculation over possible further defections from the party were being discussed, Danve said the issue did not figure in the meeting.
Shiv Sena (UBT) currently has 20 MLAs and six MLCs in the Maharashtra Legislature.
SIX UDDHAV SENA MPS CROSS OVER TO SHINDE CAMP
In the biggest setback to Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) since the 2022 rebellion, all six rebel Lok Sabha MPs formally joined the ruling Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on Monday, formalising the split in the party's parliamentary wing. The development comes five days after the MPs skipped a crucial parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi, which was attended by only three of the Opposition party's nine Lok Sabha members.
The MPs who crossed over are Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North East), Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli), Omprakash Rajenimbalkar (Dharashiv) and Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi).
All six had defeated BJP and Shiv Sena candidates in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Shiv Sena (UBT) had won nine Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the general election.
Speaking to reporters after inducting the MPs, Shinde said, "These Lok Sabha members have now joined the original Shiv Sena that follows the teachings of the late Balasaheb Thackeray. Four years ago, I took a bold step, and now I have hit a sixer," referring to the induction of the six MPs.
Declaring the exercise a success, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "'Operation Tiger' is now complete and successful."
Meanwhile, the Sena UBT is pursuing both legal and legislative action against the defecting MPs and has already approached the Lok Sabha Speaker over the matter.
The defections come nearly four years after Shinde's rebellion split the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022, leading to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and a prolonged legal and political battle over the party's name and symbol.
As Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) grapples with the political fallout of the defection of its six Lok Sabha MPs, four of its state legislators skipped a legislative party meeting convened by the party chief on Monday, the opening day of the Maharashtra Legislature's monsoon session.
The absence of the four legislators -- three MLAs and one MLC -- , amid heightened political uncertainty, drew attention as the meeting was convened to finalise the party's strategy for the Assembly session and project unity following the parliamentary defections.
The legislators who did not attend the meeting were MLAs Sanjay Derkar, Rahul Patil and Sanjay Potnis, along with MLC Sunil Shinde.
However, party sources claimed that all four had informed the leadership in advance that they would not be able to attend. They cited reasons including preparations for the upcoming Legislative Council elections, ill health and personal commitments.
The development came on the same day that six of the party's nine Lok Sabha MPs formally defected to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, bringing an end to days of political uncertainty, altering the party's parliamentary strength and further consolidating Shinde's claim over Shiv Sena's legacy.
Despite the MLAs' absence from the meeting, sources said there was no indication of another round of defections from the party. The meeting was attended by the remaining 22 legislators and concluded with a group photograph alongside Thackeray, in what was seen as a symbolic show of unity.
During the meeting, Thackeray asked the party's MLAs and MLCs to aggressively raise issues concerning farmers, unemployment, water scarcity and other public concerns during the legislature session. He also urged legislators to present a united front at a time when the party is dealing with the fallout of losing six MPs to the rival Sena faction.
According to sources, Thackeray also directed legislators to intensify organisational outreach by holding meetings with party workers in the parliamentary constituencies represented by the rebel MPs, signalling the party's efforts to retain its support base on the ground.
Speaking after the meeting, Shiv Sena (UBT) Legislative Council leader Ambadas Danve said the legislature party had finalised its strategy for the session.
"It was a meeting of the Shiv Sena (UBT) legislature party. We discussed how to raise issues concerning farmers, youth, Mumbai, and regions such as Vidarbha and Marathwada, including the water crisis. Shiv Sena (UBT) is the largest Opposition party in the legislature, so we have to function aggressively and in a systematic manner," Danve said.
He said a meeting of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has been scheduled for Wednesday to coordinate the Opposition's strategy in the legislature.
Danve also reiterated that Shiv Sena (UBT) continues to stake claim to the post of Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.
When asked whether 'Operation Tiger' and speculation over possible further defections from the party were being discussed, Danve said the issue did not figure in the meeting.
Shiv Sena (UBT) currently has 20 MLAs and six MLCs in the Maharashtra Legislature.
SIX UDDHAV SENA MPS CROSS OVER TO SHINDE CAMP
In the biggest setback to Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) since the 2022 rebellion, all six rebel Lok Sabha MPs formally joined the ruling Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on Monday, formalising the split in the party's parliamentary wing. The development comes five days after the MPs skipped a crucial parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi, which was attended by only three of the Opposition party's nine Lok Sabha members.
The MPs who crossed over are Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North East), Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli), Omprakash Rajenimbalkar (Dharashiv) and Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi).
All six had defeated BJP and Shiv Sena candidates in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Shiv Sena (UBT) had won nine Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the general election.
Speaking to reporters after inducting the MPs, Shinde said, "These Lok Sabha members have now joined the original Shiv Sena that follows the teachings of the late Balasaheb Thackeray. Four years ago, I took a bold step, and now I have hit a sixer," referring to the induction of the six MPs.
Declaring the exercise a success, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "'Operation Tiger' is now complete and successful."
Meanwhile, the Sena UBT is pursuing both legal and legislative action against the defecting MPs and has already approached the Lok Sabha Speaker over the matter.
The defections come nearly four years after Shinde's rebellion split the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022, leading to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and a prolonged legal and political battle over the party's name and symbol.
