After several days of speculation, accusations and political sparring, the split within the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) camp is expected to be formally announced on Sunday.
Sources familiar with the developments said the six rebel MPs are likely to hold a joint press conference, where they will share photographs and videos of their meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla along with the letter submitted to him. They are also expected to explain the reasons behind their decision to leave the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction.
The political drama intensified after reports of a possible defection surfaced earlier this week. Rebel MPs Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Omraje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Sanjay Dina Patil reportedly travelled to Delhi from different parts of the country on June 16 and stayed at a hotel in Noida. On the same day, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, along with his son Shrikanth Shinde, also reached the national capital.
According to sources, Shrikanth Shinde and Omraje Nimbalkar met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla early the next morning. Later, the remaining five MPs also met the Speaker and submitted a letter informing him of their decision to merge with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena while requesting a change in their seating arrangement in the Lok Sabha. After the meeting, the MPs travelled to different cities, including Chennai, Varanasi, Pune and Mumbai.
Ahead of Sunday’s press conference, two MPs are expected to arrive in Mumbai from Chennai, two from Kolkata, while one is already in Mumbai and another is in Pune. Sources said all six MPs may meet Eknath Shinde after addressing the media and could seek another appointment with Speaker Om Birla if required.
The controversy began after several MPs skipped a meeting at Uddhav Thackeray’s residence, Matoshree, fuelling speculation about an alleged ‘Operation Tiger’ aimed at engineering defections. Senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut initially downplayed the reports, claiming that the absent MPs had joined the meeting virtually or would speak to Thackeray later.
However, speculation intensified after rebel MP Sanjay Jadhav was seen meeting Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav from the Shinde camp. Although Sanjay Jadhav maintained that the meeting was not political, the development further fuelled rumours of a split.
Raut later alleged that the rebel MPs were being lured with large sums of money and claimed they had been flown to Delhi on chartered aircraft. He also launched a sharp attack on the defectors, accusing them of betraying the party.
Political observers have compared the unfolding developments with the earlier split in the Trinamool Congress, where rebel MPs formed a separate bloc and sought independent recognition in Parliament. If the merger with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena is formalised, it is expected to deal a significant blow to Uddhav Thackeray’s camp while strengthening the NDA’s position ahead of the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.