22 June,2026 12:15 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray. File Photo
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Monday launched a sharp attack on the party's dissident Lok Sabha members, accusing them of abandoning the mandate given by voters and switching sides for personal gain.
His remarks came amid a major political setback for Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, with six of the party's nine Lok Sabha MPs rebelling against the leadership. Two of the dissidents, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, have already confirmed that they will join the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The developments have intensified concerns within the party over its ability to retain elected representatives and maintain unity ahead of future electoral contests.
In a post on X, Aaditya Thackeray argued that the rebel MPs had secured electoral victories as candidates of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the INDIA alliance, benefiting from support extended by alliance partners during the campaign.
He pointed out that leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) had campaigned extensively for the candidates in their respective constituencies.
"All of the ones that are jumping over now were elected on the platforms of the MVA and the INDIA, against the NDA. All of them had leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) campaigning for them - each one asked for rallies from leaders of all parties and allies," Aaditya Thackeray said.
According to him, the MPs were elected on a platform that opposed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), making their decision to switch sides a betrayal of voter trust.
Aaditya Thackeray maintained that voters in the constituencies represented by the dissident MPs had consciously voted against NDA candidates and endorsed the agenda of the INDIA bloc.
He accused the MPs of disregarding the public mandate by aligning themselves with the ruling alliance after winning elections on an opposing platform.
"The voters voted against the NDA candidates and for INDIA in your constituencies and for all it stands for. Just accept that your greed got you to ditch all of it overnight, shamelessly," he said.
In his social media post, Aaditya Thackeray also alleged that the dissidents had put their loyalty and public reputation up for sale and accused the government of favouring defectors through the use of public resources.
Among the six rebel MPs, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar publicly confirmed their decision to switch to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Sunday.
The leaders cited multiple reasons for their move, including difficulties faced while functioning from the Opposition and challenges related to accessing development funds for their constituencies.
Their decisions have fuelled speculation that more MPs could formally join the ruling Shiv Sena in the coming days.
The rebellion has emerged as one of the biggest organisational challenges for Uddhav Thackeray since the split in the Shiv Sena in 2022.
Political observers believe the developments could have implications for the party's strategy ahead of future elections and its role within the Opposition alliance in Maharashtra.
With six MPs now openly distancing themselves from the party leadership, attention is focused on whether Shiv Sena (UBT) can prevent further defections and retain its political influence in the state.
