Rumors of a fresh split within the Shiv Sena (UBT) have emerged following reports that several members of parliament are absent from party activities.
These developments are significant because they mirror the factional breakaway of 2022, potentially destabilizing Uddhav Thackeray's influence within the Maharashtra political landscape. If a significant number of lawmakers defect to the rival Eknath Shinde faction or the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), it could fundamentally alter the balance of power in the state.
Reports indicate that seven of the nine UBT Shiv Sena MPs are currently in touch with NDA leaders in Delhi [1]. Other accounts suggest that approximately seven MPs and 16 MLAs from the UBT faction are in contact with the Eknath Shinde faction [2].
The speculation grew after five MPs failed to appear to wish Aditya Thackeray on his birthday earlier this week [1]. This pattern of absence has led observers to suggest that a coordinated shift in loyalty may be underway.
The current atmosphere in Maharashtra is one of high tension as the UBT faction attempts to maintain its cohesion. The prospect of another split would likely weaken the party's leverage in future legislative negotiations, a scenario that has played out previously in the region.
While the party has not officially confirmed a mass departure, the reported communications between lawmakers and the NDA suggest a vulnerability in the party's current structure. The alignment of these members with the Shinde faction would consolidate the rival group's hold on the Shiv Sena identity.
“Seven of the nine UBT Shiv Sena MPs are currently in touch with NDA leaders in Delhi”
The reported movement of MPs and MLAs toward the NDA and the Shinde faction suggests a recurring fragility in the UBT Shiv Sena's internal loyalty. If these rumors materialize into actual defections, it would further marginalize Uddhav Thackeray's faction and solidify the NDA's dominance in Maharashtra, potentially rendering the UBT's current legislative presence negligible.
