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Second Sena split in 4 years: How Thackeray's party is unravelling again

From Hindustan Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Six of Uddhav Thackeray's nine Lok Sabha MPs have reportedly sought to form a separate bloc, potentially merging with Eknath Shinde's faction.
  • This marks the second significant split in the Shiv Sena party within four years.
  • Uddhav Thackeray rejected claims that MPs feared a merger with Congress, suggesting the Maharashtra BJP might merge with Shinde's Sena instead.

The Shiv Sena party founded by Bal Thackeray is experiencing its second major fracture in four years, as six out of nine Lok Sabha MPs belonging to Uddhav Thackeray's faction have reportedly informed the Lok Sabha Speaker of their intention to form a separate group. This move is widely seen as a precursor to merging with the faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, thereby aligning with the BJP-led NDA government.

It was created to fight for the rights of Marathi people and protect Hindutva.

— Uddhav ThackerayExplaining the founding principles of Shiv Sena and rejecting the idea of merging with Congress.

This development echoes the events of four years ago when Eknath Shinde initiated a significant split from the then-ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Shinde, along with a group of Shiv Sena MLAs, moved to Surat and then Guwahati before ultimately toppling Uddhav Thackeray's chief ministership. Reports indicate that Shinde has been in contact with the rebel MPs, offering his full support, with his son Shrikant Shinde reportedly playing a key role in coordinating discussions in Delhi.

The six MPs, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Sanjay Deshmukh, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Sanjay Dina Patil, and Omraje Nimbalkar, had already abstained from both a parliamentary party meeting of Shiv Sena (UBT) and the party's 60th foundation day event. In contrast, Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, Rajabhau Waje, and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut publicly remain aligned with the Thackeray faction.

I fear the Maharashtra BJP might merge with the Shinde Sena.

— Uddhav ThackerayCommenting on the political realignments in Maharashtra.

Uddhav Thackeray addressed the impending split, dismissing the rebels' stated fear of a merger with Congress. He asserted that the Shiv Sena was founded to champion the rights of Marathi people and protect Hindutva, not to merge with other parties. He wryly suggested that he feared the Maharashtra BJP might merge with Shinde's Sena. Sanjay Raut, meanwhile, invoked legal arguments regarding the anti-defection law and labeled the breakaway MPs as "traitors."

This is only a trailer of a longer film.

— Eknath ShindeDaring Uddhav Thackeray to take action against the rebel MPs.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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