Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) suffered a setback on Thursday after only three of its nine Lok Sabha MPs turned up for a crucial parliamentary board meeting in Delhi.
The remaining six MPs stayed away amid growing speculation that they are in touch with the rival Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and may be considering switching sides, NDTV reported.
The development has revived concerns of a fresh split in the party, nearly four years after Shinde's 2022 breakaway divided the undivided Shiv Sena into two factions.
With political buzz around the allegedly missing MPs intensifying, the Thackeray faction had called the meeting of its parliamentary board at the parliament complex in Delhi.
The six MPs — Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Omraje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Sanjay Dina Patil — did not turn up, fuelling further speculation, NDTV reported.
Uddhav Thackeray was promptly informed about the absences, and discussions are now underway on what action to take against the MPs, who have already skipped one prior meeting on June 14 and Aaditya Thackeray's birthday celebration last Saturday.
Party Issues Whip, Warns Of Action
After the meeting, party leader Arvind Sawant said action would be taken against MPs who violated the party whip, PTI reported.
VIDEO | Delhi: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai after attending parliamentary party meeting, says, "Notice will be served (to MPs who didn't attend the meeting). They will be asked why they didn't attend the meeting despite a whip being issued in this regard."#ShivSenaUBT… pic.twitter.com/xXaCRyFu48
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 18, 2026
Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said a "lesson needs to be taught" to the rebels.
"We are ready to go to jail again. But I will teach you a lesson and then go to jail. You are tampering with the dignity of this country, the dignity of its democracy, its rules, and its Constitution." Raut said.
"People get elected to our party after hard work. We work hard. Uddhav Thackeray works hard. And you people are kidnapping them, hijacking them. What kind of democracy is this?” he added.
The party's high command had issued a mandatory three-line whip and summoned the emergency meeting to force a physical showdown among MPs, after a group of rebel leaders was learnt to have informally met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday, claiming the support of six of the nine MPs.
Raut said the whip had been sent to MPs' homes, by email and over WhatsApp. He added that Thackeray and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar had discussed creating "rada"(ruckus) in the constituencies of MPs who switch sides, with Pawar offering to address rallies there himself.
VIDEO | Delhi: During a press conference, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) says, “Today, our party's Lok Sabha leader Arvind Sawant ji has issued a whip. He has given a whip to all our MPs today for an important meeting at our Parliament office in Delhi. There are… pic.twitter.com/7E0y8CFrvK
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 18, 2026
Separately, Sena (UBT) MPs Raut and Sawant met Speaker Birla earlier on Wednesday, urging him to follow established rules if any "rebel" MPs approach him with representations.
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