Shiv Sena (UBT) rebellion buzz: BJP leader accuses Uddhav Thackeray of driving his party to decline

Amid growing speculation over a possible rebellion within the Shiv Sena UBT Maharashtra BJP vice president Keshav Upadhye on Wednesday suggested that the opposition party could be heading towards another split and accused its leadership of being responsible for its political declineHis remarks come at a time when reports of unrest within the Uddhav Thackerayled party have intensified with speculation that several Lok Sabha MPs may be considering a shift to the ruling Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath ShindeBJP leader comments on reports of internal unrestIn a post on X Upadhye referred to reports of a possible split within Shiv Sena UBT and said the party appeared to be facing another round of internal divisionsWhile he did not provide any evidence to support the claim his comments came amid political discussions surrounding the future of several Sena UBT MPs According to party sources six to seven of the partys nine Lok Sabha members are believed to be weighing their political options although no MP has publicly announced plans to leave the organisationThe Sena UBT leadership has repeatedly denied reports of an imminent rebellion and has maintained that its parliamentary members remain unitedUpadhye targets Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay RautThe BJP leader used the opportunity to criticise Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut accusing them of leading the party away from its traditional political pathUpadhye alleged that the party leadership had ignored the mandate given by voters and had focused more on attacking political opponents than strengthening the organisation He also claimed that the partys current political strategy had weakened its position in MaharashtraThe allegations were part of a broader criticism of the opposition partys leadership style and political direction in recent yearsBal Thackerays legacy invoked in political debateReferring to Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray Upadhye said the late leader had built a strong political organisation that had emerged as a major force in Maharashtra politicsHe argued that the partys current leadership had failed to preserve that legacy and had instead overseen a period of organisational decline According to Upadhye a series of political decisions taken by the present leadership had contributed to the partys weakening electoral and political standingThe comments reflect the continuing political battle between the BJP and the Uddhav Thackerayled faction of the Shiv Sena following the split in the original party in 2022Defections and organisational challenges remain in focusUpadhye also pointed to the departure of several elected representatives from the party in recent years claiming that MPs MLAs and former corporators had chosen to leave the organisation due to dissatisfaction with its leadershipHe argued that political success cannot be achieved through constant criticism of opponents and suggested that the party needed to reassess its approach if it hoped to regain lost groundThe BJP leader further criticised the partys communication strategy and questioned whether its leadership had effectively addressed internal concernsRebellion speculation continues to growPolitical speculation surrounding Shiv Sena UBT has intensified over the past few days with reports suggesting that a section of the partys MPs may be exploring the possibility of forming a separate group or aligning with the Eknath Shindeled Shiv SenaAdding to the political intrigue Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut alleged on Tuesday that money was being used to lure MPs from Maharashtra The allegation was not accompanied by evidenceMeanwhile Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaiks recent remarks indicating that dissident leaders would be welcomed into the ruling party have further fuelled speculation about possible political realignmentsDespite the rumours Shiv Sena UBT leaders have continued to assert that the party remains united and that its MPs are committed to the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray However developments in the coming days are expected to determine whether the latest round of speculation translates into a significant political shift within the opposition campWith inputs from PTI