Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs meet Speaker, demand letter submitted by leaders joining Shinde camp

Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Sanjay Raut, Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai address a press conference in New Delhi on June 17, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday (June 24, 2026) and asked for a copy of the letter submitted by the party’s six rebel MPs who recently announced that they had joined the Shiv Sena. Sena UBT MPs Anil Desai and Arvind Sawant also sought to know the demands raised by the rebel MPs.

“We gave the Speaker a warning letter. Accordingly, he called us. We asked him if the rebel MPs had given him any letter. We asked him if they had come as a group or as individuals. We told him that you must inform us. We gave a copy of the constitution, highlighting the provisions of the Tenth Plan. A political party can merge if it wants to. But none of these parties were to decide on any six-party proposal.” Mr. Sawant told The Hindu after the meeting.

The meeting was held days after six of the nine Lok Sabha members of the Shiv Sena (UBT) announced a merger with Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. This will be the first meeting between Sena (UBT) leaders and the Speaker after the party sent him a warning letter seeking a hearing on the matter before any decision is taken. Party leaders criticized the lack of transparency in the matter and questioned why the House had not yet been informed about it or why the details of the split and merger had not yet been announced by the Speaker’s office.

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Sena (UBT) has questioned the lack of transparency surrounding the entry of six MPs into the ruling Shiv Sena. It submitted a letter to the chairman requesting a hearing in case a group of leaders from their party approached him to form a separate group.

“If someone goes to meet the speaker, information is released by his office. Photos are shared on his social media. There is openness and transparency in this matter. But when this merger took place, there is no information about it,” said the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader.

Leaders of Mr. Shinde’s Shiv Sena said all legislative processes have been completed to induct the six MPs into their party. “We will not share any more details. But let me assure you that we have completed all the processes. The MPs have also met the speaker besides sending him a letter,” a senior party leader told The Hindu.

Constitutional expert Anant Kalse said the Shiv Sena (UBT) may approach the apex court on the matter and seek its intervention. “But since the previous 2022 partition case is itself being heard, these names can now be added to the same petition,” he said.

Published – 24 Jun 2026 15:09 IST