Ananya Lohia , Mumbai - Four years after the rebellion led by Eknath Shinde split the Shiv Sena and toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Uddhav Thackeray is facing another major political setback. Six of the party's nine Lok Sabha MPs have reportedly initiated steps to break away from the Thackeray camp and align with Shinde's faction.

The six MPs — Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Sanjay Deshmukh, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Sanjay Dina Patil and Omraje Nimbalkar — have reportedly submitted a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking recognition as a separate group. They also skipped the party's parliamentary meeting and its 60th foundation day celebrations, signalling an open rebellion. The development comes exactly four years after Shinde's dramatic 2022 revolt, when he led a group of Shiv Sena MLAs out of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, eventually bringing down Thackeray's administration.

Reports suggest Shinde and his son, MP Shrikant Shinde, were actively involved in discussions with the rebel MPs. Shinde has described the latest defections as "only a trailer", hinting at further political realignments ahead. Responding to the crisis, Uddhav Thackeray dismissed speculation about a Congress merger and reiterated that the Shiv Sena was founded to uphold Hindutva and protect Marathi interests. Senior leader Sanjay Raut termed the rebels "traitors" and indicated a legal challenge, arguing that anti-defection protection requires two-thirds of the entire party to merge, not just a parliamentary group. The latest rebellion comes after a string of electoral setbacks for the Thackeray camp, including losses in the Maharashtra Assembly and BMC elections.

The fresh split deepens the crisis within Shiv Sena (UBT) and raises fresh questions about the future of the Thackeray-led faction. If the rebels formally merge with the Shinde camp, it could further consolidate the NDA's position in Maharashtra while delivering another blow to Uddhav Thackeray's efforts to rebuild the party.