Shiv Sena UBT questions rebel MPs needing Y-plus security

Andhare’s comments follow a deepening crisis within the party, where six of its nine Lok Sabha members skipped a crucial parliamentary meeting in New Delhi last Thursday. While addressing the defection row, she specifically singled out MP Omraje Nimbalkar, expressing personal sympathy for his recent political trajectory while questioning the decisions of those joining the Eknath Shinde-led faction. The party has since issued formal show-cause notices to the absentees, with Chief Whip Anil Desai warning that failure to explain their absence within 24 hours could trigger disqualification proceedings under the Anti-Defection Law.

The political friction intensified after reports surfaced of an alleged "Operation Tiger," aimed at moving the six MPs toward the Eknath Shinde camp. Among those who missed the meeting are Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Jadhav, and Bhausaheb Wakchaure. Beyond the internal strife, Andhare also criticized the state of national governance, pointing to the reliance on heavy security for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination as evidence of systemic failure rather than development. As the party moves to invoke the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, the standoff between the UBT faction and its defecting members appears set for a legal showdown.