Shiv Sena (UBT) Issues Show-Cause Notice to Absent MPs, Threatens Disqualification

Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday issued a fresh 'Show Cause' notice to MPs who failed to attend the party meeting, threatening disqualification from the party.

Party's Chief Whip in Lok Sabha Anil Desai has issued a formal notice to the absentee MPs, giving them a strict 24-hour deadline to provide a written explanation for their behavior.

The notice, as accessed by ANI, carries a stern warning.

If the MPs fail to respond to the communication within the stipulated time, the party will assume they have voluntarily given up their membership. Consequently, the politicians will face action under the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution (the Anti-Defection Law).

The notice come at a time when the party is grappling with internal challenges and defections, nearly four years after the split in the Shiv Sena that led to the formation of the Eknath Shinde-led faction.

Rumours of another potential split within the Shiv Sena (UBT), which is being called "Operation Tiger" are intensifying. Speculation gained momentum when six of the nine Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs, including Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, and Bhausaheb Wakchaure, remained absent despite a party whip.

Conversely, Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, Rajabhau Waje, and Sanjay Raut attended the party's parliamentary meeting.

In response to the absence, the UBT faction moved swiftly to assert its authority. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut announced that show-cause notices had been issued to the six absentees earlier, initiating the formal process for their disqualification from the Lower House.

"The process for taking action has started," Raut declared during a press conference. "We will make every effort to get them disqualified. If the Speaker of the Lok Sabha works according to the rules, the law, and the Supreme Court's directives, these people will be disqualified."

The rmuours surrounding "Operation Tiger" further gained momentum after Shiv Sena MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi claimed that six MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) have expressed confidence in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and have already joined his faction.

Party chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said he was willing to step down as president if workers no longer had faith in his leadership, as he sought to rally supporters amid a fresh rebellion within the party.

Addressing the party's 60th foundation day event in Mumbai, he said he was prepared to relinquish the top post if party members felt he had failed them.

"I am ready to quit the party chief's post if you don't have trust and faith in me," he told supporters.