Shiv Sena (UBT) Urges Speaker Birla To Block Recognition Of Rebel Faction MPs

Leaders of the Shiv Sena (UBT) have formally approached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to oppose any separate recognition or seating arrangements for six rebel Members of Parliament. Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai, representing the faction led by Uddhav Thackeray, contended that such a maneuver violates the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which prohibits the merger of a legislative group into another party solely based on numerical strength.

The conflict stems from a recent split within the Shiv Sena (UBT), wherein six out of nine Lok Sabha MPs defected to the ruling faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The rebel MPs, including Nagesh Aashtikar and Sanjay Jadhav, have effectively aligned themselves with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction maintains that this crossover does not constitute a valid legal merger and argues that the Speaker must strictly adhere to constitutional provisions before addressing any representational claims made by the defectors.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is currently weighing the constitutional implications of this split alongside other political fractures, including those within the Trinamool Congress. While the Speaker's office has confirmed it has not yet received official documentation regarding a merger, the tension remains high as the Monsoon Session approaches. The final decision on the seating status of these MPs will serve as a critical test for the application of the anti-defection law in the context of recent internal party upheavals.