Reports suggest six out of nine MPs of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party to shift their loyalties to Eknath Shinde
Mumbai: Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on Friday dismissed reports of yet another split in the party. The party accused the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction of spreading rumours regarding defections in the party in order to divert people’s attention from the Mahayuti government’s failures in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena minister Uday Samant claimed that many leaders from the Uddhav Thackeray camp would soon join the Shiv Sena under Eknath Shinde’s leadership.
According to some reports, six out of nine Lok Sabha MPs of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party are set to shift their loyalties to Eknath Shinde. However, the Thackeray faction rubished the reports as rumours spread by the rival camp.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant said, “Not even one UBT MP has gone anywhere. We are 100 per cent with Shiv Sena (UBT).”
Mr. Sawant further said that there were cracks in the ruling Mahayuti government in the state and the rumours are being spread about the Opposition to divert attention from the state government’s problems. “Yesterday, an office was allotted to Shiv Sena (UBT) at the Parliament. All 11 UBT MPs — nine from Lok Sabha and two from Rajya Sabha were present at the inauguration. So, these rumours are being spread deliberately. None of us is going anywhere. We are 100 per cent with Uddhav Thackeray,” he said.
However, Mr. Samant from the Shinde faction said that several leaders from the Thackeray faction are in touch with his party and they will be inducted in the party in phases. “People have realised that Mr. Shinde’s leadership is far better than that of Mr. Thackeray’s. Mr Shinde is the leader of the real Shiv Sena and he is taking Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology forward,” the Maharashtra minister said.
The minister further said that around 12 leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents, including the Shiv Sena (UBT), will join the Eknath Shinde-led party within the next three months.
