Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday launched a sharp attack on party MPs facing defection allegations, accusing them of abandoning the mandate of voters and putting personal interests above political commitments.
The remarks come as Shiv Sena (UBT) intensifies action against several of its Lok Sabha MPs amid reports that a group of lawmakers could switch allegiance to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, triggering fresh concerns over a split within the party.
In a post on X, Thackeray alleged that the MPs who are now being linked to the rival faction were elected on the strength of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance and the INDIA bloc but have chosen to abandon the platform that helped them win.
“To the greedy MPs who have hopped over, you only prove the following, stronger than before: 1) Your loyalty, your reputation is for sale, shamelessly 2) The government is biased and uses public money, politically, as funds,” he said.
Thackeray also argued that voters in their constituencies had backed candidates aligned with the INDIA bloc and rejected NDA nominees.
“All of the ones that are jumping over now were elected on the platforms of the MVA and the INDIA, against the NDA. All of them had leaders from @ShivSenaUBT, @INCIndia and @NCPspeaks campaigning for them- each one asked for rallies from leaders of all parties and allies. They can’t even go on their nonsensical rant of ‘moved away from this and allied to that’ and did this and that. The voters voted against the NDA candidates and for INDIA in your constituencies and for all it stands for. Just accept that your greed got you to ditch all of it overnight, shamelessly,” he wrote.
Shiv Sena (UBT) issues show-cause notices to absent MPs
The political confrontation has intensified after Shiv Sena (UBT) issued fresh show-cause notices to MPs who failed to attend a recent parliamentary party meeting.
The notices were issued by Lok Sabha Chief Whip Anil Desai, who sought written explanations within 24 hours over their absence from the meeting.
The party warned that failure to respond could be treated as voluntary relinquishment of membership, potentially inviting proceedings under the Anti-Defection Law contained in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
Attendance row fuels defection rumours
Questions over the MPs’ future gained prominence after a parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi on Thursday saw only three of the party’s nine Lok Sabha MPs in attendance.
Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje attended the meeting, while six MPs remained absent.
Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said the process to seek the disqualification of the absent lawmakers had already begun.
The controversy gathered momentum after Shiv Sena MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi claimed that six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs had expressed confidence in Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and joined his faction.
Six MPs at the centre of speculation
The latest developments have fuelled speculation that six of Shiv Sena (UBT)’s nine Lok Sabha MPs may move to the Shinde-led camp.
The MPs whose absence has triggered the political storm are Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar and Bhausaheb Wakchaure.
Meanwhile, Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, Rajabhau Waje and Sanjay Raut participated in the party’s parliamentary meeting.