Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has approved the merger of six rebel MPs from Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) into the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. This step formally accepts their switch under anti-defection rules ahead of the Monsoon Session. The decision raises the Shinde faction’s Lok Sabha strength from seven to 13, while reducing the UBT group to three members, as per the updated records from the Lok Sabha Secretariat. The move follows the MPs’ departure from the Uddhav camp nearly a month earlier. Shinde described the process as legally sound and said the MPs joined for political reasons rather than personal gain. He rejected claims of inducements and noted that development funds would be provided to their areas. The Uddhav side had argued that the split failed to meet requirements tied to party structure, but the Speaker’s ruling confirmed compliance with constitutional procedures under the Tenth Schedule. The change also updates overall Lok Sabha numbers, with the NDA at 318 seats, the INDIA bloc at 181, and others at 41. The Lok Sabha has 540 sitting members and three vacancies.
