The Shiv Sena (UBT) has issued a fresh show-cause notice to rebel MPs who stayed away from the party’s parliamentary committee meeting on Thursday.
The notice, issued by the party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha, Anil Desai, directed the lawmakers to submit a written explanation within 24 hours, failing which they may face disqualification proceedings.
“If the MPs fail to respond within the stipulated time, the party will assume they have voluntarily given up their membership. Consequently, they will face action under the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution,” the notice stated.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction is facing a major internal revolt, which reached a flashpoint on Thursday when six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs skipped a mandatory parliamentary party meeting convened by the leadership.
Those who attended the meeting included Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, and Rajabhau Waje. The remaining six MPs — Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, and Bhausaheb Wakchaure — have reportedly switched allegiance to the rival Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The Sena (UBT) had earlier issued show-cause notices to these MPs, initiating the formal process for their disqualification from the Lok Sabha.
“We will make every effort to get them disqualified. If the Speaker of the Lok Sabha acts according to the rules, the law, and the Supreme Court’s directives, these members will be disqualified,” party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut had said.
Meanwhile, the six rebel MPs are likely to reach Delhi on Saturday ahead of formally joining the Shinde camp. Reports suggest they will stay at an undisclosed location in the national capital, with a formal announcement expected after the Lok Sabha Secretariat issues a bulletin.
The latest political development in Maharashtra has been linked to what some reports describe as “Operation Tiger”, an alleged effort to strengthen the Shinde-led Shiv Sena — an ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) — in Parliament by attracting MPs from the Thackeray faction. The party currently holds seven Lok Sabha seats.
