Uddhav Sena at crossroads as MPs set to meet Eknath Shinde's son in Delhi today
Since 2022, Shiv Sena (UBT) supremo Uddhav Thackeray has hardly found himself at ease. A dramatic split orchestrated by his father’s trusted aide and his
Since 2022, Shiv Sena (UBT) supremo Uddhav Thackeray has hardly found himself at ease. A dramatic split orchestrated by his father’s trusted aide and his bete noire, Eknath Shinde, not only took away his party’s name and symbol but also challenged him as the undisputed heir of Balasaheb Thackeray’s political legacy. Four years down the line, the memory of that breakaway has again come back to haunt him as the party is on the verge of another schism. Read Full Story Sources close to the development told India Today that six of his nine MPs who won in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls are ready to jump ship. And the defection might occur ahead of June 19, the foundation day of the Shiv Sena. The possible defection could mirror the recent split-like developments in the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. Two MPs have already reached Delhi, while the other four are expected to arrive later.
The group is likely to meet at the residence of Eknath Shinde's son, Shrikant Shinde, for discussions today, according to sources. Shortly after the meeting, the MPs are expected to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. ABSENT MPS FUEL DEFECTION BUZZ The episode began following the reported absence of five out of nine MPs in a meeting that was held in supremo Uddhav Thackeray's residence, Matoshree. As buzz intensified that another poaching attempt from the Eknath Shinde camp could be made, Uddhav's longstanding aide Sanjay Raut clarified that Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar, and Sanjay Deshmukh, four of the five absent MPs joined virtually. Another MP, Sanjay Jadhav, spoke with Uddhav over the phone and was expected to meet him in the coming time. However, the attempt to dismiss the potential defection barely had an impact as Deshmukh held a meeting with Prataprao Jadhav, a Union Minister from the Eknath Shinde camp.
Although the MP clarified that it was stritcly a non-political meeting, it triggered the defection row further. LET THEM GO, UDDHAV THACKERAY’S FIRM MESSAGE After being silent for two days, Uddhav Thackeray finally opened up and addressed the issue. Talking at a meeting of party MPs on Sunday, Thackeray drew parallels with the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena and said he had sensed the rebellion brewing long before it became public but chose not to pressure anyone into staying. "Today might not be mine, but tomorrow definitely is. Until then, we have to endure and bear it," Thackeray said. “I was the Chief Minister of the state. Did people really think I didn't know what everyone else could clearly see and understand? I had a whiff of what was happening. But I didn't say a word to anyone, didn't pressure them, and didn't open file investigations into their scams," he further added.
The BriefWire