Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 22 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sunil Shinde on Monday clarified his absence from the first day of the Maharashtra Monsoon Session, stating that he was away due to personal work and dismissing media speculation around his non-attendance.
In a post shared on X, Shinde said, "Jai Maharashtra. Due to my personal work, I have been in my village at Mu. Po. Pethambe, Tal. Chiplun since some time, because of which I could not be present for the proceedings and meetings on the first day of the monsoon session."
He further added that reports suggesting otherwise were baseless. "Therefore, the discussions in the media regarding my absence have no factual basis," he said.
Reaffirming his loyalty to the party leadership, Shinde said he would actively participate in the House proceedings from the next day under the guidance of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.
"Under the guidance of party chief, the respected Uddhavsaheb Thackeray, I will be regularly participating in the daily proceedings of the monsoon session starting tomorrow," he stated.
Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray chaired a key meeting in Mumbai with party leaders to discuss organisational matters, legislative strategy, and the evolving political situation amid reports of further realignments and defections.
The clarification comes at a time when Shiv Sena (UBT) is witnessing heightened political turbulence following the joining of six of its Lok Sabha MPs into the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The MPs--Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Omprakash Bhupalsingh Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh, and Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar joined Shiv Sena earlier in the day, triggering a major political setback for the UBT camp.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde described the development as a major success, saying the move reflected public support for his leadership.
"Whatever you were running about this like Operation Tiger, etc., I yesterday also told you that I don't leave anything half done. And this Operation Tiger was successful before you. All these six MPs have been inducted into our party as per the rule, the constitution and parliamentary rules," Shinde said at a press conference.
He added that the MPs would be treated as part of the organisation and assured support for their constituencies. "When I was CM, I behaved like a worker, and even today I work as a worker... our ministers will sit with you and solve the problems of your constituencies," he said.
Shinde further asserted that the shift reflected ideological acceptance and governance-focused politics. "For us, ideology is important; those who left the ideology, voters rejected them... people are coming with us for our agenda of development," he said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, however, launched a sharp attack on the defecting MPs and the Shinde faction, accusing them of abandoning ideology. "Traitors have no ideology. Omraje (Nimbalkar) is a notorious traitor. Splitting the Shiv Sena is akin to tearing Maharashtra apart," Raut said.
In a separate post on X, Raut wrote, "Chitragupta has begun tallying their sins! Their next generation will say 'my father was a traitor, my husband was a traitor, my grandfather was a traitor'."
He also criticised Eknath Shinde directly, saying, "Eknath Shinde has given birth to six traitors. A caesarean surgery will have to be performed further for things to be properly managed."
Amid the political confrontation, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is set to begin a Maharashtra-wide outreach campaign from June 27, visiting constituencies of rebel MPs as the internal rift within the party deepens. (ANI)
