Shiv Sena-UBT issues show-cause notices as 6 MPs eye Shinde faction
Synopsis
Six of Shiv Sena-UBT's nine Lok Sabha MPs skipped a whipped party meeting in Delhi, with reports placing their formal defection to the Shinde faction as early as 19 June — Shiv Sena's Foundation Day. Sanjay Raut has fired the first legal shot: show-cause notices with a seven-day deadline, and a Supreme Court challenge on standby if the Lok Sabha Speaker does not act.
Key Takeaways
Six of nine Shiv Sena-UBT Lok Sabha MPs skipped a whipped Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi on 18 June .
Only Arvind Sawant , Anil Desai , and Rajabhau Waje attended; six rebels — including Omraje Nimbalkar , Sanjay Jadhav , and Sanjay Dina Patil — were absent.
Sanjay Raut announced show-cause notices with a seven-day deadline for the absent MPs to explain themselves.
The faction has initiated disqualification proceedings under the anti-defection law, with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla as the first port of call.
If the legislative process fails, Shiv Sena-UBT is prepared to move the Supreme Court directly.
The rebel MPs are reportedly set to formally join the Eknath Shinde faction around 19 June , coinciding with Shiv Sena's Foundation Day .
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday, 18 June announced that the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction has issued show-cause notices to six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs who skipped a crucial Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi, as speculation mounts that the rebels are on the verge of formally joining Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's rival Shiv Sena faction.
The Parliamentary Party Meeting
The Shiv Sena-UBT convened a high-stakes Parliamentary Party meeting in Delhi on Thursday, issuing a strict party whip requiring attendance. Only three MPs complied: Arvind Sawant (Mumbai South), Anil Desai (Mumbai South-Central), and Rajabhau Waje (Nashik). Their presence effectively confirmed the scale of the rebellion — with six of the faction's nine Lok Sabha MPs absent, the Parliamentary wing appears to have split vertically.
The six MPs who skipped the meeting are Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim), Nagesh Ashtikar (Hingoli), Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi), and Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North-East).
Legal and Disciplinary Roadmap
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Raut outlined a two-track strategy. 'We have issued official show-cause notices to all the absent lawmakers, giving them a strict timeline of seven days to submit their explanations,' he said. The notices are the first step in a formal disqualification bid under the anti-defection framework.
Raut made clear the party would not stop at internal proceedings. 'We will fight this battle on the streets, and we will fight it in the courts. Our ground preparation to ensure their disqualification has begun in full swing,' he said. The faction intends to first exhaust all constitutional and legislative processes within the Lok Sabha before escalating to the judiciary.
The Anti-Defection Argument
'If Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla acts in accordance with the rules, the law, and the strict guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court of India, these six MPs will inevitably face disqualification,' Raut asserted. Should the legislative process fail to deliver a fair resolution, he said, the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction is prepared to challenge the matter directly before the Supreme Court.
This comes amid a broader constitutional battle over the Shiv Sena's identity that has been playing out since the 2022 split, when Shinde led a rebellion that toppled the Thackeray-led Maharashtra government. The Supreme Court has already weighed in on that dispute, making the anti-defection law central to how both factions frame their legitimacy.
What Happens Next
Political circles in Maharashtra are abuzz with reports that the six rebel MPs could formally join the Shinde faction around 19 June, which coincides with Shiv Sena's Foundation Day — a symbolically loaded date for any factional move. The seven-day notice window and the Foundation Day timing together make the coming week a defining moment for the party's Parliamentary arithmetic. Whether the Speaker acts swiftly or defers — as has happened in past defection cases — will determine whether the legal route gains traction or the matter moves directly to the Supreme Court.
Point of View
Not just state-level cadres. The legal route Sanjay Raut has outlined is well-worn and historically slow: anti-defection petitions before Lok Sabha Speakers have languished for years, and the Supreme Court has repeatedly had to intervene. Timing the formal switch to Shiv Sena's Foundation Day would be a deliberate provocation, designed to claim the party's symbolic legacy. The real question is whether the Speaker acts with the urgency the Supreme Court's past rulings demand — or whether delay becomes the Shinde faction's most effective legal shield.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Shiv Sena-UBT issue show-cause notices to six Lok Sabha MPs?
Shiv Sena-UBT issued show-cause notices because six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs skipped a whipped Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi on 18 June, defying a mandatory party directive. The notices give the absent MPs seven days to explain their absence as a precursor to formal disqualification proceedings.
Which six MPs are reportedly set to join the Shinde faction?
The six MPs who skipped the meeting — and are reportedly on the verge of defecting — are Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim), Nagesh Ashtikar (Hingoli), Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi), and Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North-East).
What legal steps is Shiv Sena-UBT taking against the rebel MPs?
Shiv Sena-UBT plans to first pursue disqualification through the Lok Sabha Speaker under the anti-defection law. If the Speaker does not act in line with Supreme Court guidelines, the faction has said it will challenge the matter directly before the Supreme Court.
When are the rebel MPs expected to formally join the Shinde faction?
According to reports, the six rebel MPs are expected to formally join Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction around 19 June, which coincides with Shiv Sena's Foundation Day — a symbolically significant date for the move.
What is the anti-defection law and how does it apply here?
The anti-defection law, enshrined in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, disqualifies legislators who voluntarily give up party membership or defy a party whip without a valid reason. In this case, Shiv Sena-UBT argues that the six MPs' absence from a whipped meeting, combined with their reported intent to join a rival faction, makes them liable for disqualification — subject to a ruling by the Lok Sabha Speaker or the Supreme Court.
