Shiv Sena (UBT) Moves Lok Sabha Speaker Amid Split Rumours, Seeks Protection Against Defections

Mumbai, June 2026 : Amid mounting speculation of a possible split within the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s parliamentary wing, party leader in the Lok Sabha Arvind Sawant has approached Speaker Om Birla with a detailed legal representation seeking to prevent any breakaway faction from gaining recognition in the Lower House.

The move comes against the backdrop of reports surrounding an alleged “Operation Tiger,” which claims that several MPs of the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction may be considering joining rival political camps, including the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The reports suggest that as many as seven of the party’s nine Lok Sabha MPs could be contemplating a shift in allegiance.

In his four-page letter dated June 16, Sawant urged the Speaker to reject any attempts by MPs to seek separate recognition or merger without following the constitutional provisions laid down under the anti-defection law.

Referring to media reports, Sawant wrote that certain Members of Parliament elected on the symbol of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) were either considering or had already approached the Speaker’s office seeking recognition as a separate group or merger with another political party within the Lok Sabha.

He argued that the parliamentary party derives its legitimacy from the parent political organisation and that the constitutional framework does not permit multiple groups to represent the same political party within Parliament.

Sawant’s petition relies heavily on constitutional provisions and judicial precedents to challenge the possibility of a split. He highlighted that after the Constitution (Ninety-first Amendment) Act of 2003, Paragraph 3 of the Tenth Schedule—which earlier provided protection for splits—was removed. As a result, the Constitution no longer recognizes “splinter groups” as a defence against disqualification under the anti-defection law.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also cited the landmark Supreme Court judgment in the Subhash Desai vs Principal Secretary, Governor of Maharashtra & Others case of 2023. According to Sawant, the verdict clarified that the authority to appoint a whip, choose legislative leaders, and issue party directives rests exclusively with the original political party and not merely with its legislative wing.

Addressing speculation that a two-thirds majority of MPs could legally break away, Sawant argued that numerical strength alone is insufficient. He pointed out that Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule requires two conditions to be fulfilled simultaneously: first, there must be a merger of the original political party itself, and second, at least two-thirds of legislators must support that merger.

Without an actual merger of the organisational Shiv Sena (UBT), he contended, any move by MPs to align elsewhere would amount to voluntarily relinquishing party membership, making them liable for immediate disqualification under the anti-defection law.

Sawant has requested Speaker Om Birla to formally place his representation on record and reject any recognition, privileges, or facilities sought by any alleged breakaway faction. He also urged the Speaker not to act on any such request without first giving the official Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership an opportunity to present its case.

The development comes at a politically sensitive time in Maharashtra. Speculation intensified after reports emerged that several UBT MPs had arrived in New Delhi around the same time as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde.

Further fuelling the political drama, senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut recently alleged that opposition lawmakers were being offered up to Rs 15 crore each to defect. The ruling alliance has dismissed these allegations as baseless.

While the Shinde faction has denied any role in engineering defections, Sawant’s legal intervention signals that the Uddhav Thackeray camp is preparing for a potentially significant constitutional and political battle to safeguard its parliamentary strength.

As rumours continue to swirl, the issue may now shift from political corridors to constitutional interpretation, placing the role of the Lok Sabha Speaker under sharp scrutiny in the days ahead.