Six UBT MPs defect to Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena

Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Deputy Chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, framed the mass exit as a validation of Shinde’s leadership. She dismissed long-standing accusations of betrayal leveled by the UBT faction, arguing that the public mandate in the recent Assembly elections—which saw 60 MLAs elected under Shinde’s banner—renders such labels obsolete. According to Gorhe, the party has now solidified its status as the third-largest entity within the NDA, a shift she says reflects genuine political momentum rather than the illicit financial dealings alleged by critics.

The group of defectors includes Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Omprakash Bhupalsingh Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh, and Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar. During their induction in Mumbai, Shinde struck a defiant tone regarding the internal rivalry within the Shiv Sena. He pointed to the influx of three new members named Sanjay, quipping that with such a surplus of the name in his ranks, the relevance of his rivals is effectively neutralized. Shambhuraj Desai, another senior party leader, echoed this sentiment, asserting that the party is experiencing a period of significant growth under the current administration.