Big Blow To Uddhav Thackeray: Lok Sabha Speaker Recognises Merger Of 6 Sena UBT MPs With Shinde Faction

Published 18 July 2026 · politics

Big Blow To Uddhav Thackeray: Lok Sabha Speaker Recognises Merger Of 6 Sena UBT MPs With Shinde Faction Published By, Last Updated: July 18, 2026

Big Blow To Uddhav Thackeray: Lok Sabha Speaker Recognises Merger Of 6 Sena UBT MPs With Shinde Faction Published By, Last Updated: July 18, 2026, 19:31 IST Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla recognized the merger of six rebel MPs with Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, a setback for Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT). Lok Sabha Speaker Clears Merger of 6 UBT Rebel MPs With Shinde's Shiv Sena. In a major setback for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has recognised the merger of six rebel MPs with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. The six MPs, who had broken away from the Uddhav Thackeray faction, had submitted an official application to the Lok Sabha Secretariat seeking recognition of their merger with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

The Speaker’s office has now approved the request, formally recognising the six MPs as members of the Shinde faction in the Lok Sabha. The decision marks a significant political boost for the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and comes as another setback for the Uddhav Thackeray camp, which has been grappling with internal divisions since the party split. With the Speaker’s approval, the merger of the six Lok Sabha MPs into the Shinde-led Shiv Sena now stands officially recognised in the Lower House. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Key Questions Answered What does this merger mean for Uddhav Thackeray's political future? Six Lok Sabha MPs from Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) have joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

This move significantly strengthens Shinde's position and reduces Thackeray's party's representation in the Lok Sabha to three MPs. Could more Shiv Sena UBT MPs join the Shinde faction? Six Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs have joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. These MPs are Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Omprakash Bhupalsingh Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh, and Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar. How will this decision impact the upcoming Maharashtra elections? The defection of six Lok Sabha MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is expected to reshape Maharashtra's political landscape ahead of future elections. This move significantly strengthens Shinde's position and weakens Uddhav Thackeray's camp. About the Author Shuddhanta Patra Shuddhanta Patra, a seasoned journalist with eight years of experience, serves as Senior Sub‑Editor at CNN News 18.