The six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs, including Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, officially joined Shiv Sena (Shinde) on Monday. They made the announcement official via a press conference in Mumbai.
Six MPs of Shiv Sena (UBT) have defected to Shinde faction. (Raju Shinde/HT Photos)
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The move has resulted in Sena's MPs increased from from 7 to 13. This has increased the strength of Shiv Sena.
Welcoming six rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs into his fold, Maharashtra dy CM Eknath Shinde said their induction marked the "second phase" of the political realignment that began with his 2022 revolt against Uddhav Thackeray.
Shinde said all formalities had been completed and the MPs had officially joined the Shiv Sena, which he described as the true inheritor of Bal Thackeray's ideology. Calling the move a "sixer" for his camp, Shinde maintained that his faction's struggle was aimed at safeguarding Balasaheb's vision and values.
Dismissing allegations surrounding the defections, he said the six MPs were seasoned grassroots workers who had joined the party out of conviction.
Where it all began
These 6 rebel MPs had skipped the Sena (UBT) parliamentary party meeting in Delhi on June 17, fuelling speculation that they were on their way to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar were the only two MPs who had confirmed they were shifting to Shinde group.
Transport Minister and Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik has said that six MPs were impressed by work of Sena chief leader Eknath Shinde and MP Shrikant Shinde and were joining Sena today. They had given a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and wanted to follow ideology of Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
The six MPs to contest 2029 polls
Shinde, in the presser, said the six MPs who joined his faction had done so voluntarily and without any pressure. He said all six would contest the 2029 Lok Sabha elections on Shiv Sena tickets and would return to Parliament with victories from their respective constituencies.
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Home/India News/Big blow to Uddhav Thackeray as six rebel UBT MPs officially join Shinde's Shiv Sena: ‘Operation Tiger successful’
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