Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray launched a sharp multi-front offensive against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on the floor of the Maharashtra Assembly on Tuesday, 23 June, turning the Monsoon Session into a high-voltage political confrontation. The clash unfolded against the backdrop of a deepening internal crisis in the UBT faction, with reports that six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs are preparing to switch allegiance to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

The Floor Fight

Aaditya accused DCM Shinde of deliberately deflecting opposition questions in the House by routing answers in his designated portfolios through other ministers. He alleged that Shinde was 'scared to answer' and chose evasion over accountability — and drove the point home by mimicking Shinde's speaking style on the Assembly floor.

Outside the hall, Aaditya referred to Shinde as 'Fake-nath Mindhe', sharpening the personal edge of the attack. When the opposition staged a walkout over the issue, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar noted that comparable ministerial arrangements had existed during 2019–2020. Aaditya countered that no Chief Minister or minister had used such 'escape routes' during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) tenure.

Shinde Hits Back

Shinde did not absorb the attack quietly. Rising to respond on the House floor, he quoted a popular Marathi song to mock what he framed as Aaditya's political decline: 'Who were you, and what have you become... Oh, madman, you have completely gone to waste.'

He also turned his fire on senior opposition figures, mockingly questioning why veteran leaders like Jayant Patil were taking cues from 'kids' (pora-tora) — a pointed reference to Aaditya's role in directing floor strategy for the opposition.

The Rebellion Within UBT

Compounding the tension inside the Assembly was an open rebellion unfolding outside it. Six UBT Lok Sabha MPs skipped a crucial parliamentary party meeting in Delhi, a move widely read as a signal of their intent to align with the ruling Shinde faction.

Aaditya responded on X with a scathing public statement, accusing the MPs of 'selling their loyalty and reputation shamelessly for greed.' He argued that these lawmakers had won their seats because voters specifically chose the MVA/INDIA bloc platform against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), making their defection a direct betrayal of the public mandate.

What This Means for Maharashtra Politics

The dual pressure — a hostile Assembly session and a fractured parliamentary group — marks one of the most turbulent stretches for the UBT faction since the 2022 Shiv Sena split. If the six MPs formally cross over, the UBT's Lok Sabha strength would shrink to three, weakening its bargaining position both inside and outside the legislature. The Monsoon Session is set to continue, and further flashpoints between the two Sena factions appear likely.