Shiv Sena (UBT) disputes rebel MPs' merger and condemns Mumbai municipal handling of tree collapse

Shiv Sena (UBT) senior leader Arvind Sawant issued legal notices to six Lok Sabha members who joined the Shinde faction, asserting that any merger requires party permission under the 10th Schedule and urging Speaker Om Birla not to approve it. The party claims the defections reduce its parliamentary strength to three seats and threatens strict action against the rebels.

In a separate editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena (UBT) accused the BJP‑led state alliance and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation of corruption after a tree fell onto a school bus in Chembur, killing an 11‑year‑old child. The party criticised the municipal inquiry that cleared the BMC departments, calling the Rs 7 lakh fine for the contractor a "predetermined, favourable script" and demanding accountability for the faulty road concreting that it says weakens tree roots.