Lone Vidarbha UBT MP Reaffirms Loyalty to Shiv Sena After Virtual Meeting with Uddhav Thackeray Sanjay Deshmukh, the sole Shiv Sena (UBT) member of parliament from Vidarbha, reaffirmed his allegiance to the party after participating in an emergency virtual meeting with party chief Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree on Sunday. The gathering followed persistent rumors that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was attempting to lure seven UBT MPs to defect and bolster Shiv Sena’s parliamentary strength ahead of the monsoon session. Deshmukh, who could not attend the meeting in person, stated he remained fully committed to Uddhav Thackeray, emphasizing his dedication as a "soldier of Balasaheb Thackeray." The meeting, described by political analysts as a response to what has been termed "Operation Tiger," aimed to counter Shinde’s alleged efforts to recruit defectors. Deshmukh joined the virtual session alongside other MPs, including Omraje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Waghchaure, and Nagesh Ashtikar, while Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, Sanjay Dina Patil, and Rajabhau Waje attended in person. Uddhav Thackeray also spoke to Parbhani MP Sanjay Bandu Jadhav via phone. After the meeting, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut publicly confirmed that all nine UBT Lok Sabha MPs had reaffirmed their loyalty, calling for an end to speculation about their political allegiance. The political maneuvering comes amid broader tensions within the Shiv Sena, with Shinde’s faction reportedly seeking to weaken the Uddhav-led group. Under the anti-defection law, at least seven of the nine UBT MPs would need to defect to avoid disqualification, making Shinde’s outreach a strategic challenge. The situation is further complicated by the Centre’s planned reintroduction of the delimitation and women’s reservation bills during the monsoon session.#shiv_sena #uddhav_thackeray #matoshree #eknath_shinde #sanjay_deshmukh
Supriya Sule meets Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree for Rajya Sabha election The upcoming Rajya Sabha election in the state has sparked intense competition among political parties, with the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance facing internal divisions over a single seat. The state is contesting seven Rajya Sabha seats, and the distribution of these seats is expected to depend on the party strength in the Vidhan Sabha. While the MVA alliance, comprising Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray), Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar, has 46 MLAs in total, the need for 37 votes to secure a seat has created tensions. All three parties have claimed the right to contest the seat, leaving the final decision uncertain. In this context, NCP leader Supriya Sule visited Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree to discuss the matter. Aditya Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray’s son, provided details about the meeting, stating that no final decision was made but that a resolution would be announced soon. He emphasized that all MVA partners would convene to address the issue, highlighting the importance of unity in the alliance. Jayant Patil, another NCP leader, confirmed that the meeting aimed to resolve the dispute over the candidate. He noted that the party had urged Uddhav Thackeray to support Sharad Pawar’s candidacy, citing the demand from party workers and members of the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha. Patil also mentioned that discussions with the Congress party had taken place, and the party’s stance had been communicated to Uddhav Thackeray. The meeting underscored the delicate balance required to maintain the MVA alliance’s cohesion, as the outcome of the Rajya Sabha election could influence the political landscape in the state.#rajya_sabha_election #supriya_sule #uddhav_thackeray #matoshree #maharashtra_vikas_aghadi
