Uddhav Thackeray seeks disqualification of rebel MPs, says defection part of bigger conspiracy

Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray. File | Photo credit: ANI

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday (June 28, 2026) demanded the immediate disqualification of six party MPs who recently defected to the Eknath Shinde-led camp, alleging that their replacement was part of a larger political conspiracy.

The Lok Sabha Speaker must follow the rule of law on defections, a former Maharashtra chief minister told a rally in Parbhani, alleging that the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was systematically “clipping the wings” of its own state leaders.

Attacking the BJP over the Ayodhya Ram temple donation embezzlement issue, Mr Thackeray accused the saffron party of using the temple for political gain and termed it the “Babur Janata Party”.

“Babur destroyed the Ram Mandir. ‘Babur Janata Party’ has now come to loot the newly built temple. What is the difference between them?” said Mr. Thackeray.

MPs loyal to the Shiv Sena (UBT) submitted a formal statement to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and sought an opportunity to present their party, Mr Thackeray said, adding that party MP Arvind Sawant cut short an official visit to Kargil after the Speaker gave the hearing date.

“If there is rule of law in this country, these six MPs should be disqualified. I still have faith in the Speaker of the Lok Sabha because if he does not follow the laws, he cannot ask others to follow them. We respect his authority, not his wishes,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.

Earlier this week, six rebel Lok Sabha members from the Shiv Sena (UBT) joined the ruling Shiv Sena under Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. In the 2024 general election, they won against BJP and Shiv Sena candidates. Shiv Sena (UBT) won nine Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in 2024.

Mr. Thackeray toured the constituencies represented by the rebel MPs. Sanjay Jadhav, one of the rebel legislators, hails from Parbhani.

The Sena UBT chief alleged that the defections were part of a “bigger political game” which he termed “Operation Devendra” to sideline Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, just as the party had done to other leaders in the past.

“People here (in Parbhani) voted against the Modi wave. Now the MP who won against that wave has switched over. It is not just a riot but a bigger political game,” he claimed.

He further questioned the source of the rebel MPs’ wealth, pointing to their traveling in private jets and accusing them of ignoring the plight of farmers.

Published – 28 Jun 2026 21:37 IST