Shiv Sena UBT sends letter to 6 rebel MPs over ‘merger’ with Shinde camp

The letter said that the party on whose ticket the MPs won has neither initiated, agreed to nor permitted any merger with Shinde-led Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday issued notice to its six rebel MPs over reports that they claimed to have merged with the Shiv Sena led by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, saying the Sena (UBT) had neither initiated, agreed nor permitted any merger with Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Six out of nine MPs of Shiv Sena (UBT) defected to Shinde led Sena and merged with his party. (HTPhoto/Raju Shinde)

It warned that no such merger is permissible or contemplated in law.

In a letter dated July 13, Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentary party leader Arvind Sawant said, “The election was fought inter alia against the candidates set up by Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde. People in your constituency reposing faith in leadership of Uddhav Thackeray elected you through name and symbol of Shiv Sena (UBT).”

It further said that the party came to know through “reports in public domain” that the six MPs are “attempting to portray that there is a merger” of Shiv Sena (UBT) with Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

“It is also learnt that you had approached the speaker of Lok Sabha claiming that they have merged or seeking recognition of this purported ‘merger’,” the letter said.

Sawant in his letter also pointed out provisions in 10th Schedule regarding merger and said that the party has raised the issue with speaker, who has not passed any order recognising any claim of merger.

Six of nine MPs of Sena (UBT) crossed over to the Shiv Sena last month informing the Lok Sabha speaker that they have formed a separate group and were merging with the Sena. Speaker Om Birla has not yet made a decision on the matter, though Shinde has insisted that the required legal procedure has been completed.