The Mass Exodus From Team Uddhav: How Many UBT Leaders Have Joined Shinde Sena Since 2022?
The Mass Exodus From Team Uddhav: How Many UBT Leaders Have Joined Shinde Sena Since 2022? Written By, Last Updated: July 01, 2026, 16:15 IST
The Mass Exodus From Team Uddhav: How Many UBT Leaders Have Joined Shinde Sena Since 2022? Written By, Last Updated: July 01, 2026, 16:15 IST The Sena UBT is battling a severe survival crisis following a major fresh wave of high-profile defections to the rival Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena under "Operation Tiger" Rapid Read Uddhav Thackeray. Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena has so far seen two major waves of defections – one in 2022 and the recent June 2026 exodus. As Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) struggles for survival after repeated blows, News18 explains the story behind the numbers. THE MASS EXODUS Category of Leaders 2022 Initial Split 2026 Recent Exodus Total Defections Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) 40 MLAs — 40 MLAs Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha MPs) 13 MPs 6 MPs 19 MPs Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) — 1 MLC (Sachin Ahir) 1 MLC THE SWITCHES The June 2022 Rebellion: The Vertical Split 40 MLAs walked out of the MVA government alongside Eknath Shinde, effectively collapsing Uddhav Thackeray’s government. 13 Lok Sabha MPs (out of 18 elected under the undivided party banner) subsequently shifted their allegiance to the Shinde faction. The June 2026 Exodus: Operation Tiger Following the 2024 general elections where the Thackeray faction re-built a temporary presence, a second wave completely fractured the party’s remaining parliamentary wing. 6 Lok Sabha MPs crossed over en masse on June 22, 2026.
This group included Omprakash Nimbalkar, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Dina Patil, and Bhausaheb Wakchaure. 1 Senior MLC / Loyalist, Sachin Ahir (a close aide to Aaditya Thackeray), officially defected on June 30, 2026, to file a nomination for Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council under the Shinde banner. IN BMC Over a dozen former Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have joined Shinde’s Shiv Sena since the initial party split. 40+ Shifted Post-Split: While the BMC’s elected term previously expired, around 40 former undivided Sena corporators had defected to the Shinde camp by late 2023. Recent Tally: By the time of the recent 2026 civic elections, it was estimated that at least 44 former corporators aligned with Shinde’s faction, leaving about 55 with Uddhav Thackeray. Several smaller batches, including a pair of corporators from the Magathane area, have also made the jump more recently. LOCAL BODIES In addition to these primary legislative figures, hundreds of local municipal corporators, district chiefs, and Yuva Sena functionaries from regions like Dhule, Navi Mumbai, and Palghar have systematically defected over this four-year span. WHAT NEXT FOR SENA UBT? The Sena UBT is battling a severe survival crisis following a major fresh wave of high-profile defections to the rival Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena under “Operation Tiger". After suffering heavy blows in late June 2026, the party’s next steps focus on urgent legal damage control, grassroots public outreach, and a desperate attempt to retain its remaining legislative base.
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