'Resign and leave': Sanjay Raut challenges Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs amid split buzz

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 Thackerayled partyAddressing 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 mandateThe 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 Shindeled Shiv SenaRaut dares dissidents to seek fresh mandateRaut said any lawmaker wishing to leave the party should first step down from the position won on the Shiv Sena UBT ticketHe 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 bannerIf anyone wants to leave they should first resign Raut said maintaining that the party would continue to defend the mandate given to it by votersHe also urged MPs facing speculation about their political future to publicly clarify their position and dismiss reports if they were inaccurateAllegations of money being offered to MPsThe Sena UBT leader reiterated allegations that financial inducements were being used to encourage lawmakers to change political allegianceWithout 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 exerciseAt 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 paidThe allegations have not been independently verified and no official response has been issued by those accused of orchestrating such effortsParty leaders insist no official information on splitDespite the intense speculation Shiv Sena UBT leaders maintained that they had not received any formal communication from MPs indicating an intention to leave the partyArvind Sawant said reports of a possible rebellion were emerging primarily through media and social media platforms rather than through official channelsSimilarly 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 developmentsThe leaders emphasised that there was currently no official confirmation of a breakaway faction within the partyLegal and political measures underwayRaut 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 splitAccording to party leaders legal safeguards are being put in place to address any attempt to form a separate group within ParliamentSawant 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 partyRaut said the party would challenge any move that it believes violates constitutional provisions or antidefection lawsAllegations of pressure on party MPThe Rajya Sabha member also alleged that pressure was being exerted on some MPs to influence their political decisionsReferring to Dharashiv MP Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar Raut claimed that attempts were being made to link political decisions with developments in a longpending criminal case related to the killing of Nimbalkars father He did not provide evidence to support the allegationRaut argued that if such practices were taking place they would raise serious concerns about democratic institutions and the functioning of the political systemBJP MLA makes counterclaimMeanwhile BJP MLA Ashishrao Deshmukh made separate allegations against Raut claiming that the Sena UBT leader was working towards a possible merger of Uddhav Thackerays party and Sharad Pawars faction of the Nationalist Congress Party with the CongressDeshmukh 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 uncertaintyHe also remarked that many people no longer take Rauts statements seriously because of the frequency of his political commentsSena UBT seeks to project unityAt 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 politicallyHe 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 lawmakersWhile 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 daysWith inputs from Agencies