Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs meet in Delhi as split rumors swirl

On June 18, 2026, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) parliamentary party convened at the Parliament House in New Delhi. Only four of the nine Lok Sabha members—Anil Desai, Sanjay Raut, Arvind Sawant and Rajabhau Parag Prakash Waje—arrived in person, while the remaining five were absent, fueling speculation that they might be defecting.

Party leaders warned that the meeting would decide the fate of any dissenting members. Sanjay Raut said, “Those who come are ours; those who do not are betrayers,” and urged any dissenters to show up and face the consequences. Earlier notices had been sent to all MPs demanding mandatory attendance, and a second meeting for the party’s legislators was scheduled for June 22 in Mumbai.

The internal dispute stems from concerns that some Shiv Sena (UBT) legislators could be recognized as a separate group or merge with another party, a scenario the leadership has publicly opposed. The episode highlights ongoing turbulence within the party that controls the Maharashtra state government.