Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday, 17 June flatly denied reports that members of his party's nine-strong Lok Sabha contingent are planning to defect to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, even as he doubled down on his allegation that MPs are being offered ₹15 crore each to switch sides. The denial came hours after the Shiv Sena (UBT) delegation met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in New Delhi to pre-empt any fresh split in the lower house.

What Raut Said

'Our party has nine MPs in the Lok Sabha. For the last two days, reports have been circulating that people are leaving. We have no such information. We are reading it in newspapers and watching on television channels. No one has come to us and said that they are leaving or cited any reason for that,' Raut said.

He confirmed that the party had approached Speaker Birla with a formal appeal and a caveat, urging him to hear the Shiv Sena (UBT) side before entertaining any petition from dissident lawmakers. 'We appealed to him to listen to us before they come to him,' Raut added, noting that the Speaker had been asked to adhere to existing rules and the direction of the Supreme Court on anti-defection matters.

The ₹15 Crore Allegation

Earlier, in a series of posts on X, Raut had written: 'Apna Sapna Money Money! It's shocking and revolting that Maharashtra MPs are reportedly being offered Rs 15 crore each tonight to switch sides.' Pressed on the claim, he stood firm: 'The talk of ₹15 crore is true, of course it is. Does anyone break away in politics today without money? It's all about money.'

He argued that the party willing to poach members is invariably the one footing the bill, framing the alleged offers as a systemic feature of contemporary Indian politics rather than an isolated incident.

Party Spokesperson Draws 2022 Parallel

Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey backed Raut's position, invoking the party's traumatic 2022 split — when a rebel faction led by Shinde wrested control of the original Shiv Sena name and symbol. 'Earlier, in 2022, when MLAs were switching sides, slogans such as '50 crore, Pannas Khokhe' were being raised. Now, if MPs are being bought for ₹15 to 20 crore instead of ₹50 crore, then just think about what this means,' Dubey said.

'Democracy has been turned into a betting market,' he added, calling the alleged transactions a direct assault on constitutional norms. Dubey said the party had accepted the 2022 split, fought back through the courts, and was now bracing for what he described as a renewed attempt to dismantle the faction in 2026.

Appeal to Centre and the Road Ahead

Dubey appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene on the question of political defections, arguing that a weakened opposition would erode democratic accountability. 'If the Opposition is not kept alive, then who will keep the government in check,' he said, calling for fresh legislation to deter floor-crossing.

This comes amid broader anxieties in the INDIA bloc about the stability of constituent parties, particularly those with pending anti-defection cases before the Supreme Court. The Shiv Sena (UBT)'s pre-emptive approach to Speaker Birla signals that the party is treating the threat as credible even as its leadership publicly dismisses the defection reports. How the Speaker responds — and whether any MP formally moves to split — will determine the next phase of this political standoff.