Uddhav Sena Crisis May Spiral Today. Thackerays Enter Firefighting Mode

The split in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) could become public today, with the rebel parliamentarians directly presenting their case before the masses and explaining their side. Sources say that the six rebel MPs would release photos and videos of their meeting with the Lok Sabha Speaker, as well as the letter submitted to him, at a press conference today.

At the press conference, sources said, the rebels are expected to explain the circumstances that led to their decision to break away from the outfit led by the Thackerays.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) was formed under the Thackerays' leadership after they lost the party to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde following a rebellion four years ago. The party faces a fresh split that would not just weaken the Thackerays politically but deliver a strong blow to the opposition camp.  

Read: How 'Operation Tiger' Worked Quietly Before Uddhav Camp MPs' Big Bang Revolt

The buzzword here is 'Operation Tiger', a political move by the Shinde camp said to be behind the Sena UBT MPs' decision to switch loyalty. The Sena (UBT) currently has nine MPs; six of them rebels. Out of the six, one is in Mumbai and another in Pune. Two of them would arrive from Chennai and the remaining from Kolkata for the press conference, sources said.

At the press conference, they will share details regarding their meeting with the Speaker, the letter that they submitted to him, and other related matters, sources said.

The rebels met Speaker Om Birla earlier and informed him of their change in allegiance. They claimed they decided to part ways due to the Thackerays deviating from ideology, and it would not attract the anti-defection law, according to sources.

If necessary, sources said they will meet the Speaker again. They may also meet Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde before declaring their support for him publicly.

While a second split in the Thackerays' Sena appears inevitable, technicalities have thus far prevented an official announcement.

The rebels have toed a cautious line by not sharing the stage with Shinde during the Shiv Sena Foundation Day event. The reason was simple. They should not appear as breakaways and make the Thackerays brand it as voluntarily giving up their membership.

Read: Uddhav Sena MP Abuses 'Rebels', Then A "Don't Cut It" Note For Media

The Sena (UBT) has already issued show-cause notices to the rebel MPs for failing to attend the parliamentary party meeting and is expected to seek the cancellation of their parliament memberships on these grounds.

Damage Control By Thackerays

Uddhav Thackeray is stranded in a dire political situation, but this isn't new to him. He survived a split in 2022, but hope wasn't one of what he lost. To prevent a fresh jolt, he has activated a damage-control mode and decided to opt for public outreach on the ground.

From Saturday to Monday, he will tour the strongholds held by his rebel MPs. Shifting to action gear, he will visit Yavatmal, Parbhani, Hingoli, Dharashiv, and Shirdi, the rebel MPs' constituencies.

Sources suggest that Thackeray is undertaking this tour to prevent further splits within the party. During his visit, the Sena (UBT) chief will hold meetings with the district chiefs in these areas.