New Delhi: Worried about a repeat of the 2022 Shiv Sena split, the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction has appealed to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to block any attempt by its MPs to form a separate parliamentary group.
In a submission dated June 16, Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha leader Arvind Sawant urged the Speaker not to recognise, extend privileges to, or accord official status to any breakaway group claiming to act for the party independent of its parent body. Sawant said MPs elected on the Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket cannot unilaterally assume the party’s identity within Parliament, as reported by The Statesman.
The development comes as speculation grows in Maharashtra that a number of Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs could switch allegiance to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Dubbed “Operation Tiger” in political circles, the campaign is said to involve up to seven of the party’s nine Lok Sabha MPs. This besides, party MP Sanjay Raut alleged on social media that MPs were being bribed to defect, with offers reportedly up to Rs 50 crore and Rs 15 crore described as an advance.
Constitutional & Judicial Grounds
Sawant cited the Constitution, anti-defection law and the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling in the Subhash Desai case to support his argument that control over party leadership, whips and official directions lies with the parent organisation rather than a legislative faction.
He pointed out that protection for a “split” under Paragraph 3 of the Tenth Schedule was removed by the 91st Amendment, and stressed that a lawful merger under the Tenth Schedule requires the backing of at least two-thirds of legislators plus a merger of the original political party itself. Sawant warned that MPs who act independently without meeting these conditions could be treated as having voluntarily relinquished party membership and may face disqualification.
Speaker Asked To Reject Claims
Sawant asked the Speaker to record the representation and refrain from recognising any splinter group, and requested that the party’s authorised leadership be heard before any decision on such claims is taken. The submission comes as uncertainty over the party’s unity has intensified in Maharashtra.
