‘Explosions to continue’: After 6 UBT rebels join Shinde Sena, warning of more political surprises

Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde on Monday hinted at more political developments after six MPs from the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction joined the Shiv Sena group led by him. Reacting to the latest political shift, Shinde said that more surprises could follow, claiming that his faction has been delivering “political shocks” for the past four years.

“Explosions after explosions will continue to happen. For the last four years, we have only been creating political shocks,” Shinde said.

Indicating that the latest development may only be the beginning, he added, “Yeh to bas trailer hai, picture abhi baaki hai” (This is just the trailer, the main story is yet to come).

Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Join Shinde Camp

The latest political realignment saw six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs — Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar — officially join the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

With the addition of these MPs, the Shiv Sena faction’s strength in the Lok Sabha has increased from seven to 13 MPs, strengthening Shinde’s position within the party.

Shinde Calls Move a “Sixer”

Welcoming the MPs into his faction, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said their induction marked the “second phase” of the political transformation that began with his 2022 rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray.

Shinde said all official procedures had been completed and the MPs had joined the Shiv Sena, which he described as the true successor of Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology.

Calling the move a “sixer” for his faction, Shinde said the struggle was about protecting Balasaheb Thackeray’s principles and legacy.

Shinde Responds to Media Frenzy

Reacting to the intense media attention around the development, Shrikant Shinde joked about the number of headlines being generated.

“And tell me, wasn’t today enough for you (journalists)? Two major news stories, both national headlines — how many do you want in a single day?” he said.

He added, “Take something tomorrow, the day after, or even later. I think even you must be tired by now, breaking news after breaking news since morning. How much more will you keep running around? Now take some rest today, stay calm. Tomorrow, we will start afresh once again.”

How the Shift Began

Speculation about the MPs moving to the Shinde faction intensified after the six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs skipped the party’s parliamentary meeting in Delhi on June 17.

Among them, Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar were the first to confirm that they were moving towards the Shinde camp.

Maharashtra Transport Minister and Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik said the MPs were impressed by the work of Eknath Shinde and Shrikant Shinde and decided to join the faction. He added that they submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressing their decision and their desire to follow the ideology of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.