Sena (UBT) MPs meet Lok Sabha speaker Birla, seek copy of demands by six rebel leaders

SHiv Sena (UBT) legislators met Lok Sabha verbaliser Om Birla on midweek and sought-after(a) a re-create of the demands submitted by the sextuplet rebels, who recently joined the Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.After the meeting, Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Anil Desai and Arvind Sawant told reporters that they had requested the Speaker to “uphold the provisions of the Constitution” and sought a copy of the rebels’ demands.“We asked him if he had received any appeal from the rebels...” Sawant said, adding that the Speaker had told them he had not received anything in writing from the rebel MPs.Desai said they had emphasised to the Speaker that the Tenth Schedule is clear: “Any group of a legislature party cannot merge into some other party on its own, even if they have a two-thirds majority”.He added that the Speaker would update them after checking with his office whether the rebel MPs had submitted anything in writing.Also Read | 6 rebel Sena-UBT MPs were miffed over money, but used 1% to 26% of funds for development worksThe Speaker is set to decide another similar case involving dissident 20 Trinamool Congress MPs who wanted to merge with the NCPI.Of the nine Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs, six crossed over to the Shiv Sena led by Shinde.Sawant, Desai and Rajabhau Waje remain with Shiv Sena (UBT).Those who have defected are Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar and Bhausaheb Wakchaure.In February 2023, the Election Commission recognised the Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena. Shinde was the principal architect of the split in the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022 that brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.During the meeting, MPs also asked whether the letter from the six MPs sought a merger or recognition as a separate group. Birla did not divulge details and said the legal department was looking into it. He told Thackeray camp MPs that he would seek a legal opinion on their letter.When contacted, Sawant said the party had submitted a letter from party chief Uddhav Thackeray and a copy of the relevant provisions of the Tenth Schedule highlighting defection rules. “We submitted the letter by party chief Uddhav Thackeray and also underline the provisions in 10 th schedule. We hope that speaker Om Birla will take decision according to the legal provisions.” said Sawant.Lok Sabha secretariat functionaries said Birla will consider the two cases from a legal perspective and may consult experts before taking a decision.Reacting to the developments, Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed accused the ruling establishment of undermining democratic values.“There is an undeclared emergency in this country. MPs are being bought, democracy is being undermined. We saw it in Bengal, where 20 MPs joined another party. How is that possible? All six MPs of Shiv Sena (UBT) should resign and contest again under the BJP symbol if they wish. Fight openly, don’t hide. Show the people if you can win. You cannot claim victory under one symbol and then switch sides,” she said.(With inputs from agencies)