Raj Thackeray backs cousin Uddhav Thackeray amid Shiv Sena (UBT) rebellion

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday extended support to his cousin Uddhav Thackeray amid a rebellion by 6 Lok Sabha MPs of Shiv Sena (UBT), alleging that attempts were being made to split elected representatives for political gains.

"Attempts to split MPs are under way here, politics for power is in full swing. I believe the public should pay more attention to all these things than the workers of political parties. There's an old saying: 'When self-respect is lost, only living corpses remain'," he said addressing a gathering in Mumbai.

Raj Thackeray added that in the race to capture power, political parties were losing sight of larger issues facing Maharashtra and the country.

"In this game of abducting MLAs and MPs, we are forgetting our fundamental things. We are forgetting Maharashtra's tradition, Maharashtra's history, the nation's tradition," he said.

His remarks came a day after Uddhav Thackeray, in his first reaction to the rebellion within Shiv Sena (UBT), said he remained determined despite the challenges and was willing to step down as party chief if workers lost faith in him.

"I would be happy if someone from the party ranks becomes the next Shiv Sena president, but I will not let it pass on in the hands of thieves," PTI quoted Uddhav saying at an event marking the 60th foundation day of the Shiv Sena.

Raj Thackeray also accused political parties of using tactics aimed at weakening opponents rather than competing through public support.

He said movements often reach people's homes but fail to translate into votes, asking party workers to understand how electoral strategies are being executed.

"Our movement reaches homes, but the homes don't reach the ballot box—what do you call that? Do we even realise that some conspiracy is being hatched around us?" he said.

The latest crisis in Shiv Sena (UBT) stems from a rebellion by six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs, who skipped a crucial parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi despite a party whip.

The MPs who stayed away from the meeting were Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar and Bhausaheb Wakchaure.

Only three Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs — Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje — attended the meeting along with Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.

The four leaders were later felicitated at the party's foundation day event in Mumbai.

The rebellion has triggered speculation of another split within the Shiv Sena, years after the party witnessed a major vertical division in 2022 when Eknath Shinde led a revolt against Uddhav Thackeray, eventually forming a government with the BJP.

The latest developments have raised questions over the future of the Uddhav-led faction and intensified the political battle within Maharashtra's opposition space.