Shiv Sena UBT crisis highlights: Fresh setback for Uddhav as 3 UBT legislators skip key meeting hours after MP exodus

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde left his official residence along with six rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs for the Y.B. Chavan Centre, where the lawmakers were set to formally join the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Senior Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam claimed that another Shiv Sena (UBT) MP could soon defect to the Eknath Shinde-led Sena, alleging that the lawmaker was seeking a ministerial berth at the Centre.

Kadam also predicted further desertions by MLAs, questioning how long Uddhav Thackeray could keep the party united amid the ongoing political churn.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: A contingent of riot control police arrived at Shivalaya, where Uddhav Thackeray was holding a meeting with party legislators amid the ongoing political turmoil in Shiv Sena (UBT) following the defection of several MPs to the Eknath Shinde-led faction.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: BJP rebel Gokul Gite pulled off a surprise victory in the Maharashtra Legislative Council election from the Nashik local authorities constituency, defeating Shiv Sena nominee Narendra Darade by 109 votes.

Gite, contesting as an Independent, secured 357 votes against Darade's 248 despite the latter enjoying the backing of the ruling Mahayuti alliance and senior leaders including Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Senior Congress leader Nana Patole attacked the Mahayuti government over the farm loan waiver issue, calling it a “timepass government” and accusing it of avoiding discussion in the Assembly.

“Will the government waive loans? If it does, it will be a false statement. This is a timepass government,” Patole said, claiming the government did not want to address the issue in the House.

He also criticised the alleged "Operation Tiger" defections, saying it was unfortunate that the state's leadership was supporting what he described as the “murder” of democracy.

The remarks came as Opposition MLAs protested during the Maharashtra Monsoon Session, demanding broader farm debt relief. The state government has already approved the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Farmer Debt Relief Scheme, offering loan waivers of up to ₹2 lakh, but has faced criticism over its implementation and eligibility criteria.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar mocked Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde after the Mahayuti alliance's only setback in the Maharashtra MLC polls, where BJP rebel Gokul Gite defeated Shiv Sena candidate Narendra Darade in Nashik.

Referring to the alleged effort to engineer defections from Shiv Sena (UBT), Pawar said: "Till yesterday, Eknath Shinde was supporting 'Operation Tiger', but looking at the Nashik results, it appears that the hunter himself has been hunted."

The remarks came as Mahayuti won 16 of 17 MLC seats, while speculation intensified over six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs joining Shinde's faction.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut took a swipe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, joking that Shinde was “pregnant” and had “delivered six MPs” after reports that six MPs were set to join his faction.

According to Sena leaders, four rebel MPs arrived at Shinde’s official residence, Nandanvan bungalow, before heading to the Y.B. Chavan Centre in Mumbai's Nariman Point, where a formal induction event was scheduled.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday launched a fresh attack on rebel leaders from his party, including Dharashiv MP Omraje Nimbalkar, describing them as "traitors" and alleging that the split in the Shiv Sena amounted to "tearing Maharashtra apart".

Addressing a press conference, Raut termed Nimbalkar a "notorious traitor" and claimed that Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray knew the identity of the person who had allegedly given the MP ₹15 crore.

"Traitors have no ideology. Omraje is a notorious traitor. Splitting the Shiv Sena is akin to tearing Maharashtra apart. Uddhav Thackeray knows who gave Omraje ₹15 crore in the first place," Raut said.

Taking a swipe at claims of development in Dharashiv, Raut said most of the visible progress had taken place under previous governments. He added that setting up sugar mills alone could not be equated with development, which, he said, was the result of collective efforts.

"If an MP believes that pocketing ₹100 crore amounts to development, that is a flawed mindset," he said.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aditya Thackeray on Monday criticised the BJP-led government over its handling of infiltration and accused it of prioritising political manoeuvres over pressing public concerns such as inflation, water scarcity, internal security and farmers' welfare.

"Whose government has it been for 12 years? If the government cannot stop these infiltrators in 12 years, then this is the failure of the BJP," he said.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Six rebel MPs from the Shiv Sena UBT will be addressing a press conference at 3pm to confirm their switch to the Eknath Shinde-led faction.

Transport Minister and Shinde Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik has said that six MPs were impressed by work of Eknath Shinde and MP Shrikant Shinde and will be joining the Shinde Sena today.

“They had given a letter to LS Speaker and wanted to follow ideology of Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray,” he told reporters.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Congress leader, and media and publicity chairperson, Pawan Khera, on Monday termed the 'Operation Tiger' defection buzz in Maharashtra as "Operation Keechad" (mud).

Speaking to ANI, Khera questioned the intent of the BJP, accusing the ruling party of "stealing MPs" as they were restricted to 240 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

"This is operation 'keechad' because they could not the Lotus could not flower in these constituencies, but our question is why he (PM Narendra Modi) is so hurt because he stopped at 240 and not 400 seats, that now he is busy stealing MPs from other parties like TMC, now Shiv Sena, why? What is the intention? Is the intention to actually change the constitution? What is the intention behind this dacoity?" Khera said.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Speaking to reporters, Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray called on rebel MPs to contest the elections again on their “new ticket” to prove their strength."

“These cowardly people who are deserting the party today, and those who have sold themselves, should resign from their posts and contest elections again to prove their strength,” Thackeray was quoted as saying by PTI.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Battling a rebellion by six of its Lok Sabha MPs, Shiv Sena UBT sacked the son of rebel MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar for “anti-party activities.”

The MP's son, Krushna Patil Ashtikar, was the party's candidate from Nanded local bodies constituency in the Maharashtra legislative council polls held last week.

Nagesh Patil Ashtikar is one of the six MPs who have rebelled against the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).

The parliamentarian on Sunday said he and other members had "not gone anywhere" until June 18, but changed their mind after certain remarks were made against them, an apparent reference to Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik has stated that the six rebel MPs from Shiv Sena UBT are set to join the Shinde faction today at 3pm

“Operation Tiger continues all 365 days; the 6 MPs who follow the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray are joining Shiv Sena at 3 pm today. They have given a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker. We welcome them. We thank Sanjay Raut because of whom, first, the MLAs joined our party, and now 6 MPs are joining our party,” the state transport minister told ANI.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut on Monday announced that Krishna Nagesh Patil has been expelled from the party for “anti-party activities”

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Amid buzz over multiple defections in Shiv Sena UBT, Congress leader Satej Patil stated that switching parties “has become a trend,” referring to the UBT crisis, as well as the rift in Bengal's Trinamool Congress.

“The Shinde faction is gaining strength through Operation Tiger… This is visible, and with Delhi's blessings, this operation is being carried out. They have been promised many things. I think it has become a trend to win from one party and switch to another party… All I have to say is, if you want to go, resign and contest elections again. There's no problem," he told ANI.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh on Monday said Opposition MPs were welcome to join the NDA for a stronger Centre, but questioned the need to induct Opposition MLAs into Maharashtra's ruling Mahayuti, noting the alliance already holds a two-thirds majority in the assembly.

Bringing in additional MLAs could undermine those already part of the ruling alliance, Deshmukh claimed.

Deshmukh said the Opposition Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members switching sides will strengthen the Union government.

"I welcome their move as we need a stronger Centre to pass several important bills. But do we really need MLAs from the Opposition in Maharashtra?" asked Deshmukh, who represents the Savner assembly constituency in Nagpur district.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday visited the Bhandup West and Ghatkopar offices in Mumbai and interacted with party workers.

During this interaction the Sena chief targeted Sanjay Dina Patil and other rebel MPs, and accused them of "selling" themselves.

"Despite facing betrayal and MPs being sold, the Shivsainiks are still standing firm. I want to apologise for asking you to vote for the traitor. I had campaigned in all Lok Sabha Constituencies. I have given him (Sanjay Dina Patil) a ticket. He increased his price by getting elected, and later he sold himself. This trend is dangerous," he said, as per ANI.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Amid rebellion buzz within the party, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is scheduled to begin a Maharashtra-wide outreach campaign to meet party workers in the constituencies, including those of the rebel party MPs.

As per the schedule shared by UBT Sena MP Sanjay Raut, Uddhav Thackeray will begin the campaign on June 27 with his Yavatmal visit, followed by Washim in Vidarbha and Hingoli in the Marathwada region. On June 28, he will visit Parbhani and Dharashiv, followed by Shirdi on June 29.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray hit out at the two MPs who switched over to Shinde Sena.

"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 wrote on X.

"All of the ones that are jumping over now were elected on the platforms of the MVA and the INDIA, against the NDA," he added further.

The UBT leader further stated that the voters in these constituencies voted against the NDA.

"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 added.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Corporator Rajool Patil, daughter of rebel MP Sanjay Patil, met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday and reaffirmed her loyalty to the party.

She said she visited Matoshree, Thackeray's residence in Bandra, to make it clear that she remains committed to the party.

"I am with the party, and I am with them. I will do my work with all loyalty," she was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Patil was elected as a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation corporator earlier this year and is also a member of Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Shiv Sena (UBT).

When asked about her father's rebellion, said said, "There is a tradition of making decisions individually".

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Amid the buzz over ‘Operation Tiger,’ Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the "operation" has been successful.

His deputy and Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde said he never leaves an operation incomplete.

“The operation has been successful, and the body is in very good health. There is no need for anyone to worry. Those who need to introspect should do so,” said Fadnavis while responding to questions over the recent defections.

Shinde, who addressed a joint news conference with Fadnavis, said he didn't conduct incomplete operations.

"Whenever I undertake an operation, I complete it fully. We have already shown it," he said.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Rattled by defections, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said there could only be one Shiv Sena as the party's legacy was built around protecting the rights of Marathi people.

“Shiv Sena’s political legacy was built around protecting the rights of Marathi people, and there could be only one Shiv Sena. In 2024, we fought against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led alliance and still won with the people's support. Now by detecting for power and money these MPs betrayed party and people,” Thackeray said on Sunday.

Shiv Sena UBT crisis LIVE: Of these six rebel MPs who are rumoured to switch over to Shinde Sena, two - Omraje Nimbalkar and Nagesh Ashtikar have formally announced their split from the UBT Sena.

As reported by HT earlier, Dharashiv MP Omraje Nimbalkar’s decision comes days after indicating that he would take a call following the verdict on the murder case of his father, Pawanraje Nimbalkar. On Saturday, a sessions court acquitted all the accused in the murder case.

Meanwhile, Hingoli lawmaker Nagesh Ashtikar announced his defection on a Facebook live, stating that it was difficult to carry on work in his constituency while being in the opposition.