Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs join Shinde camp; more shocks ahead, says Shrikant

Mumbai: Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs on Monday formally joined the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, prompting party leader Shrikant Shinde to hint at further political developments in the coming days.

Reacting to the switch, Shrikant Shinde said political surprises would continue, noting that his camp had been creating “political shocks” over the past four years. Suggesting that more realignments could be on the horizon, he remarked that the latest development was only a “trailer” and that the full picture was yet to emerge.

The MPs who joined the Shinde-led Sena are Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar.

Addressing reporters after the induction, Shrikant Shinde joked about the day’s intense political developments, saying journalists had already received enough major stories for one day. He advised them to take a break and be prepared for more developments in the days ahead.

The induction has increased the Shiv Sena’s strength in the Lok Sabha from seven MPs to 13. Welcoming the legislators, Eknath Shinde described the move as the “second phase” of the political realignment that began with his 2022 rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray.

Shinde said all formalities had been completed and the MPs had officially joined the Shiv Sena, which he described as the true torchbearer of Bal Thackeray’s ideology. Calling the development a significant boost for his faction, he reiterated that his political struggle was aimed at preserving Balasaheb Thackeray’s vision and principles.

Speculation about the MPs’ move had intensified after they skipped the Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi on June 17. Among them, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar had publicly indicated their intention to join the Shinde camp.

State Transport Minister and Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik said the MPs were impressed by the work of Eknath Shinde and Shrikant Shinde. According to him, they had submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and expressed their desire to follow the ideology of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray.