17 June,2026 12:39 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut. Pic/PTI
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday challenged any party MP considering defection to first resign from their post and seek a fresh mandate from the people, amid growing speculation of a possible split within the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi alongside Lok Sabha MPs Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai, Raut asserted that the party would not tolerate any attempt to undermine its leadership and warned that voters in Maharashtra would respond strongly to any perceived betrayal of the mandate.
The remarks come against the backdrop of reports suggesting that a section of Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs could be exploring the possibility of joining the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Raut said any lawmaker wishing to leave the party should first step down from the position won on the Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket.
He argued that elected representatives owe their mandate to the party leadership, workers and voters who supported them during elections. According to Raut, legislators who decide to switch sides should return to the electorate rather than retain positions secured under a different political banner.
"If anyone wants to leave, they should first resign," Raut said, maintaining that the party would continue to defend the mandate given to it by voters.
He also urged MPs facing speculation about their political future to publicly clarify their position and dismiss reports if they were inaccurate.
The Sena (UBT) leader reiterated allegations that financial inducements were being used to encourage lawmakers to change political allegiance.
Without presenting evidence, Raut claimed he had received information that some MPs from Maharashtra were being offered large sums of money to switch sides. He alleged that advances had already been distributed and that chartered aircraft were being used to transport lawmakers involved in the purported exercise.
At the press conference, Raut alleged that some MPs were being offered as much as Rs 50 crore to defect, while claiming that an advance amount of Rs 15 crore had already been paid.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and no official response has been issued by those accused of orchestrating such efforts.
Despite the intense speculation, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders maintained that they had not received any formal communication from MPs indicating an intention to leave the party.
Arvind Sawant said reports of a possible rebellion were emerging primarily through media and social media platforms rather than through official channels.
Similarly, Anil Desai said the party continued to have faith in its MPs but had initiated precautionary legal measures to protect its interests in case of any future developments.
The leaders emphasised that there was currently no official confirmation of a breakaway faction within the party.
Raut said the party had issued a whip for a meeting of its parliamentary party scheduled for June 18 in New Delhi and had also approached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla regarding reports of a possible split.
According to party leaders, legal safeguards are being put in place to address any attempt to form a separate group within Parliament.
Sawant has already written to the Speaker urging him not to recognise any breakaway faction claiming to represent Shiv Sena (UBT), arguing that authority within Parliament flows from the parent political party.
Raut said the party would challenge any move that it believes violates constitutional provisions or anti-defection laws.
The Rajya Sabha member also alleged that pressure was being exerted on some MPs to influence their political decisions.
Referring to Dharashiv MP Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, Raut claimed that attempts were being made to link political decisions with developments in a long-pending criminal case related to the killing of Nimbalkar's father. He did not provide evidence to support the allegation.
Raut argued that if such practices were taking place, they would raise serious concerns about democratic institutions and the functioning of the political system.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ashishrao Deshmukh made separate allegations against Raut, claiming that the Sena (UBT) leader was working towards a possible merger of Uddhav Thackeray's party and Sharad Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party with the Congress.
Deshmukh did not provide evidence for the claim and suggested that dissatisfaction over such a proposal could be one of the reasons behind the current political uncertainty.
He also remarked that many people no longer take Raut's statements seriously because of the frequency of his political comments.
At the press conference, Raut repeatedly stressed that Shiv Sena (UBT) remains committed to the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray and that the party would continue to resist any effort to weaken it politically.
He said the organisation remained indebted to the legacy of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and credited both Bal Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray for the political rise of many current lawmakers.
While speculation over a possible rebellion continues to dominate political discussions in Maharashtra, the party leadership has maintained that it remains united and that the outcome of the parliamentary party meeting in Delhi could provide greater clarity on the situation in the coming days.
(With inputs from Agencies)
