Source NDTV
NEW DELHI — In a fiery escalation of the unfolding political drama in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut launched a scathing attack on Thursday against dissident Lok Sabha MPs suspected of defecting. Addressing a press conference in the national capital, a visibly furious Raut dared the rebel lawmakers to resign, while directly holding the Supreme Court responsible for letting anti-defection laws lose their teeth.
The crisis within the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction intensified after six of the party’s nine Lok Sabha MPs skipped a crucial parliamentary meeting in New Delhi, despite a strict three-line whip demanding their presence.
Severe Allegations of Financial Inducement
Raut alleged that a massive financial operation, dubbed “Operation Tiger” by political circles, was underway to rip away the party’s parliamentary strength. The Rajya Sabha MP claimed that the missing MPs had been compromised with staggering financial offers.
“The MPs were given an advance of ₹15 crore each just to board chartered flights out of Pune, Nagpur, and Nanded to Delhi. The entire deal is worth ₹50 to ₹60 crore,” Raut claimed, later adding that the dissidents had been shifted to a “safe location” in Rajasthan with an additional payout.
‘Resign and Face the Voters’: Raut Dares Defectors
Defending his highly aggressive and explicit language against the absent MPs—whom he branded as “traitors” and “backstabbers”—Raut demanded that they immediately relinquish their seats.
He emphasized that these lawmakers were elected entirely on the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray and the hard work of the Shiv Sena (UBT) cadre.
The Ultimate Challenge: “If they have any morality left, they should resign from their posts and contest elections again under the NDA banner.”
Legal Retaliation: The party has formally moved to initiate disqualification proceedings. “Showcause notices will be served for violating the party whip, and we will aggressively pursue the cancellation of their membership,” Raut stated.
Security Crackdown: Raut further demanded that the state government immediately withdraw the police security provided to the rebel faction.
Blaming the Judiciary for Political Instability
Crucially, Raut did not spare the highest court in the land, arguing that the apex court’s historical handling of Maharashtra’s political defections has set a dangerous precedent.
According to Raut, the Supreme Court’s delay in swiftly and decisively punishing defectors during the original 2022 Eknath Shinde rebellion has emboldened current lawmakers to treat anti-defection laws with contempt. By failing to draw a strict line, Raut argued, the judiciary has inadvertently provided a shield to those engineering splits in regional parties.
The Numbers Game in Parliament
The political survival of the Shiv Sena (UBT) bloc in the Lok Sabha now hinges on a strict constitutional threshold:
Total UBT Lok Sabha MPsPresent at MeetingAbsent/DissidentTwo-Thirds Threshold Required to Avoid Disqualification
93 (Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, Rajabhau Waje)66
Because exactly six MPs have broke away, they hit the exact two-thirds majority required under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution to merge with another party or form a separate bloc without triggering automatic disqualification. Reports indicate the dissident faction has already submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking independent recognition or a merger with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
While the ruling coalition denies any direct hand in the rebellion, labelling it an “internal mess caused by Raut’s heavy-handedness,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) camp is preparing for a protracted legal and public battle to retain its identity.
