Uddhav Thackeray Quashes Split Rumours As All Nine Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Attend Mumbai Meeting

Maharashtra: All nine Members of Parliament of Shiv Sena (UBT) attended an important meeting held in Mumbai on Sunday under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray. After the meeting concluded, the party confirmed that all nine MPs were present, in which four attended in person. While the remaining five had joined through video conferencing.

Following the rebellion within TMC, speculations had been doing the rounds about the Shivsena UBT split as well. Several Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs could break away from the Uddhav faction and join Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, thereby extending support to the NDA. However, with all nine MPs accounted for at the meeting, it is now being widely believed that Uddhav Thackeray has successfully nipped the rebellion in the bud. Dismissing the rebellion rumours outright, senior MP Sanjay Raut told medeia that such false rumours should be stopped immediately.

Was it just routine meeting?

Sanjay Raut clarified that all nine Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs participated in a routine meeting chaired by party chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence in Mumbai on Sunday. He rejected the speculation that several MPs were considering joining the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Speaking to the press after the meeting at Thackeray's residence, Raut said, "Four MPs were personally present in the meeting, while five others joined through video conferencing. In this way, all nine MPs attended today's meeting with Uddhavji. Aditya Sahab and Vinayak Raut were also present. All nine MPs participated and there was a very good discussion."

He further added that this meeting was part of the party's regular process and had nothing to do with the ongoing political speculation.
Raut further emphasized that this is actually a routine meeting. Once a month, all of us MPs meet at Matoshree and Uddhavji guides us. This is a routine meeting, and all MPs participated either directly or through video conferencing. So please stop spreading these rumours."

Claims of joining Eknath Shinde's faction?

Several media reports had claimed that after the rebellion of TMC MPs, Shiv Sena (UBT) would be the next party to face a split, with a number of its MPs allegedly in contact with Eknath Shinde's faction and likely to join it in the near future. It was also suggested that several MPs could remain absent from Sunday's meeting as a sign of discontent. However, Sanjay Raut has now made it clear that all nine Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs attended the meeting and remain firmly with the party.