Rattled by recent defections, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said there could only be one Shiv Sena as the party’s legacy was built around protecting the rights of Marathi people.

“Shiv Sena’s politically legacy was built around protecting the rights of Marathi people and there could be only one Shiv Sena. In 2024 we fought against Prime Minister Narendra Modi led alliance and still won with people’s support. Now by detecting for power and money these MPs betrayed party and people,” Thackeray said on Sunday.

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Thackeray started an outreach programme from North East parliamentary constituency in Mumbai represented by defected MP Sanjay Dina Patil on Sunday evening.

A rebellion within the Shiv Sena (UBT) has pushed the the Thackeray-led faction into crisis. Two of the six rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs on Sunday formally announced their decision to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, dealing a major blow to the Shiv Sena (UBT) and likely paving the way for four more defections.

Dharashiv MP Omraje Nimbalkar’s decision to switch comes days after indicating that he would take a call following the verdict on the murder case of his father Pawanraje Nimbalkar, Hingoli lawmaker Nagesh Ashtikar announced his defection on a Facebook live.

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On Saturday, a sessions court acquitted all accused in Pawanraj Nimbalkar murder case, following which Thackeray made a final attempt to persuade Omraje Nimbalkar to remain within the party.

According to people aware of subsequent developments, Sena chief and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and his son Shrikant Shinde, a Lok Sabha MP who represents the Kalyan constituency, seized the opportunity to convince the BJP leadership at the Centre that Sena could add to its numbers by urging MPs from Sena (UBT) to switch over.

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The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is reportedly aiming to engineer a far larger crossover from Shiv Sena (UBT) than previously believed. The party claims that as many as 45 Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators are considering a switch- a number that would comfortably meet the two-thirds benchmark needed to avoid disqualification under anti-defection provisions.

The claim forms part of the Shiv Sena’s so-called “Operation Tiger” within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), where political chatter over possible defections has intensified in recent weeks.

Amey Ghole, a Shiv Sena leader in the BMC, claimed that interest in joining the Shinde faction was growing among Sena (UBT) corporators.

“Not 25, but at least 45 corporators are aspiring to join us. Forty-five is the magic figure because it constitutes two-thirds of the strength. Sanjay Raut had dismissed reports of MPs defecting as rumours, but that happened eventually,” Ghole said.