Sanjay Raut targets Eknath Shinde as six MPs jump ship

Calling for a political caesarean, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut unleashed a blistering critique on Monday after six party lawmakers defected to the faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, labeling the move a betrayal of the ideology established by the late Balasaheb Thackeray.

Editorial·June 22, 2026·reads: 2,950

The defection marks a significant expansion of the 2022 split, with MPs Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Omprakash Bhupalsingh Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh, and Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar joining Shinde’s camp in Mumbai. Raut took to social media to denounce the group, claiming their descendants would inherit the stigma of treason. He further signaled that the UBT faction plans to counter the exodus with a statewide outreach campaign, beginning June 27, aimed at reclaiming the constituencies held by the defectors.

Eknath Shinde framed the arrival of the six MPs as a necessary step to preserve the original spirit of the party. Defending the move as a matter of regional development rather than personal ambition, the Deputy Chief Minister asserted that the shift is a continuation of his earlier revolt against the party leadership. As both factions claim the mantle of Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy, the political landscape in Maharashtra remains deeply polarized, with the UBT group viewing the mass exit as an attempt to dismantle the state’s political identity.