Don’t accord separate recognition to rebel MPs, Sena (UBT) MPs urge Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

2 min readNew DelhiJun 25, 2026 01:21 AM IST

MEMBERS OF Parliament of Shiv Sena (UBT) met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday and urged him not to accord separate recognition or seating to the six rebel MPs who have crossed over to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, contending that such a move would be contrary to constitutional provisions.

After meeting Birla, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai told the media that the party had submitted an application to the Speaker on June 18 seeking a hearing before any decision was taken on representations made by the rebel MPs.

“We had said that in case any of our MPs, individually or after forming a group, approach you saying they want to merge with another group, you should act according to constitutional provisions,” Sawant told reporters.

Referring to Wednesday’s meeting, Sawant said the delegation asked the Speaker whether he had received any letter or representation from the six MPs.

“He said he had not received any documents,” Sawant said, adding that the party has urged the Speaker not to allow the MPs to form a separate group or be allotted separate seating in Parliament.

Desai said the Shiv Sena (UBT) impressed upon the Speaker that the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution does not permit a group of legislators to merge with another political party merely based on numerical strength.

“We said that Schedule 10 of the Constitution clearly mentions that any group of a legislative party, even if it is two-thirds in strength, cannot merge into another party. This cannot happen,” he said.

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Of the nine Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs, six recently joined the Shiv Sena led by Shinde, dealing a major blow to the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction.

The six MPs who crossed over are Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar and Bhausaheb Wakchaure.

Sawant, Desai and Rajabhau Waje remain with Shiv Sena (UBT).

The latest development comes four years after Shinde led a rebellion in the undivided Shiv Sena that split the party and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra. In 2023, the Election Commission recognised the Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena.