Uddhav Thackeray’s party has nine MPs in the Lok Sabha, and six of them would have to merge with another party. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena is considered the most likely option to avoid losing its membership under the anti-defection law.
Updated: June 17, 2026, 2:38 PM IST
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What is current strength of NDA, BJP and Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha? How has Shiv Sena tiff after Trinamool has brought numbers back in focus (AI)
A major political storm has erupted in Maharashtra. Five out of nine Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs did not attend a crucial unity meeting called at Uddhav Thackeray’s residence, ‘Matoshree’, fueling speculation of a split within the party. The MPs who did not attend the meeting are Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Omraje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, and Nagesh Patil Ashtikar. The sudden friction inside the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) camp has triggered national interest.
Who are the Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs in Lok Sabha?
- Arvind Sawant, Mumbai South
- Sanjay Deshmukh, Yavatmal-Washim
- Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar, Hingoli
- Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Parbhani
- Rajabhau Waje, Nashik
- Sanjay Dina Patil, Mumbai North East
- Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchoure, Shirdi
- Anil Desai, Mumbai South Central
- Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, Osmanabad
Why has Eknath Shinde suddenly started preparing for 2029 LS polls?
There are still about three years left for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Maharashtra Assembly elections, but Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde has started preparing for the elections. He held a meeting with the party’s national executive and state heads in Delhi on Monday. In the meeting, Eknath Shinde discussed the strategy for the upcoming elections and strengthening the party organisation. Shiv Sena officials from 20 states of the country participated in the meeting. Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said that detailed discussions were held with the state heads about expanding the Shiv Sena organization across the country and there is a positive atmosphere for expanding the party. He expressed confidence that this meeting will give new strength to Shiv Sena.
After TMC, Uddhav’s Sena targeted?
The rebellion within the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has revived memories of the splits in Maharashtra, first within the Shiv Sena and then within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). There is talk that Uddhav Thackeray could face another setback amid heated political tensions from Kolkata to New Delhi. Of the Shiv Sena’s nine Lok Sabha members, approximately six could side with Shinde. Operation Tiger has been discussed in Maharashtra for a long time, but now it is being claimed that this could happen before the monsoon session. If this happens, the NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi will gain further strength in the Lok Sabha. A 360-member NDA government will be able to take major decisions.
ALSO READ: A 2022 recap for Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena? ‘7 absent’ MPs fuel fresh split buzz
NDA’s strength will increase
It is worth noting that in the last session of Parliament, the NDA suffered a setback due to lack of the required majority to approve the constitutional amendment. NDA sources say that one of the parties with which an alliance could be formed could be the Sena (UBT). This possibility has been discussed since the alliance won a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, but it is now gaining momentum. Uddhav Thackeray’s party has nine MPs in the Lok Sabha, and six of them would have to merge with another party. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena is considered the most likely option to avoid losing its membership under the anti-defection law. While the NDA is mathematically safe in the Lok Sabha, the addition of defecting regional MPs eases the pressure on the BJP, reducing its day-to-day dependence on vital but demanding allies like the TDP or JD(U).
Psychological blow to the INDIA Bloc
Shiv Sena (UBT) is the third-largest constituent of the INDIA bloc in the Lok Sabha. A structural collapse or splintering within this group weakens the opposition’s collective bargaining power on the floor of the House.
