New Delhi, June 18 (IANS) As six out of the party’s nine Lok Sabha MPs are on the verge of defecting to Deputy Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Shiv Sena-UBT leadership has moved into high alert.

The Shiv Sena-UBT has initiated a strict legal strategy to corner the rebel MPs and seek their disqualification.

The political tremor became evident during a crucial Parliamentary Party meeting convened by the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction in Delhi on Thursday.

Despite a strict party whip, only three Lok Sabha MPs attended, virtually confirming a vertical split in the Parliamentary wing.

Addressing a press conference following the high-stakes meeting, Shiv Sena-UBT Rajya Sabha MP and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut said those who were present at the meeting included Arvind Sawant (Mumbai South), Anil Desai (Mumbai South-Central) and Rajabhau Waje (Nashik).

However, six MPs skipped the meeting including Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim), Nagesh Ashtikar (Hingoli), Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi) and Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North-East).

Raut announced that the Shiv Sena-UBT has already initiated disciplinary and legal procedures to create a blockade for the defecting MPs.

“Only three of our Lok Sabha MPs attended the Parliamentary Party meeting today. We have issued official ‘Show-Cause Notices’ to all the absent lawmakers, giving them a strict timeline of seven days to submit their explanations,” he said.

Emphasising that the Shiv Sena-UBT will fight on all fronts, Raut added, “We will fight this battle on the streets, and we will fight it in the courts. Our ground preparation to ensure their disqualification has begun in full swing.”

The Shiv Sena-UBT leader laid down the legal roadmap that the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction intends to pursue over the coming weeks, shifting the spotlight onto the anti-defection framework.

“The party (Shiv Sena-UBT) will first exhaust all internal Constitutional and legislative processes within the Lower House of Parliament. If the Lok Sabha Speaker (Om Birla) acts in accordance with the rules, the law, and the strict guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court of India, these six MPs will inevitably face disqualification,” he asserted.

“If the legislative process fails to yield a fair resolution, the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction is prepared to challenge the matter directly before the Supreme Court,” Raut said.

Political circles in Maharashtra are abuzz with speculation that the six rebel MPs might officially join Eknath Shinde’s faction around June 19, coinciding with the Shiv Sena’s Foundation Day.

The next seven days will be crucial as the political battle moves from internal party notices to a full-blown Constitutional showdown.

–IANS

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