Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday approved the merger of six rebel parliamentarians with the Shiv Sena faction headed by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The move represents a significant loss for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). The decision officially lists the six lawmakers as members of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the lower house, concluding the process that began when they requested recognition for joining the ruling group. The MPs involved are Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, and Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar. They had left the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) about a month earlier and applied to the Lok Sabha Secretariat for formal acceptance of their switch. After the Speaker granted approval, they will now serve as members of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Parliament. This raises the Shinde faction’s total to 13 MPs in the Lok Sabha, strengthening its position. The Uddhav Thackeray side had objected, claiming the merger failed to meet the two-thirds requirement under the Tenth Schedule for party organisational support. Shinde had earlier stated that the Speaker held authority over the matter and that proper legal steps had been taken. The ruling is seen as a political gain for the Shinde group, now recognised as the official Shiv Sena after the party split, while adding pressure on the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) to maintain its base. The timing matters ahead of the Monsoon Session starting July 20, as it gives the Shinde faction added numbers and formal status in the house.
