Kolkata, New Delhi, INDIA. New York, USA.
Business To Business, Mumbai, 27th June, 2026: Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday alleged that the defection of six Members of Parliament from his party to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena was orchestrated to keep Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in check and bolster parliamentary numbers for the proposed delimitation bill.
Addressing a gathering of party workers in Hingoli, Thackeray questioned the political rationale behind the defections, asking why local MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar had joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena instead of the BJP.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief claimed the move was part of a broader political strategy rather than an isolated instance of party switching.
Thackeray's remarks come amid heightened political tensions in Maharashtra following the recent defections, which have further intensified the rivalry between the two Shiv Sena factions.
The leaders of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena have not immediately responded to Thackeray's allegations.