Seventh MP balked at cabinet post rejection, Kadam claims

Kadam, speaking to reporters on Monday, confirmed that the unnamed politician had already signed the necessary paperwork. However, the deal disintegrated when Chief Minister Eknath Shinde refused to guarantee a ministerial seat. Kadam noted that the individual currently sits in close proximity to Uddhav Thackeray in the legislature.

The defection of the six MPs—Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Omprakash Bhupalsingh Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh, and Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar—has drawn sharp criticism from opposition ranks. Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit accused the group of betraying their electoral mandate, arguing that those elected to oppose the incumbent government forfeit their integrity by switching sides. Shiv Sena (UBT) has since initiated disciplinary proceedings against the defectors, leaving only three MPs remaining in the faction's parliamentary fold.