Sena (UBT) MPs Nagesh Ashtikar and Omprakash Nimbalkar Join Shinde Faction

Mumbai: Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar on Sunday confirmed their switch from Shiv Sena (UBT) to Shiv Sena and cited the statements made against them and the restrictions of being in the Opposition.

In his video statement, Ashtikar said that he and some other MPs “didn’t go anywhere” until June 18, but changed their decision after some statements made against them, with a clear reference to Sanjay Raut.

Responding to the developments, Raut said that some opposition MPs were in contact with the party and talks were ongoing with at least two of them. He said talks could be held if they thought they had made a mistake.

Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray, responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who stated that the party led by Eknath Shinde is the only Shiv Sena, claimed that the Sena led by him is the “only Shiv Sena”.

“The Shiv Sena under my chairmanship is the only Shiv Sena,” Thackeray said.

On Saturday, Shah had said in Kolhapur that earlier people had to approach the Shinde-led group separately, but “now there is no group left and there is only one Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde”.

“I and (some other MPs of Sena-UBT) had not taken any decision till June 18. We had not gone anywhere. But some statements were made against us since Thursday, which made us believe that there is no point in staying here (Sena-UBT),” Hingole MP Ashtikar said.

Ashtikar said he “does not compromise” on his ideology and described the move as “a shift from one Shiv Sena to another”.

“I haven’t gone anywhere. I have just moved from Shiv Sena to Shiv Sena. People can express their anger but they should also watch their language. I will not force anyone to come with me. But I will stand by them,” he said.

“We need funds, so I took this step. I will continue to work for the people and fulfill the responsibility given to me by the people.”

Nimbalkar touched on the party’s performance in local body elections and its failure to resolve constituency issues while in Opposition.

“They (Shinde and Fadnavis) made me talk to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. I asked him to do justice for us. Later, Shinde also said that the CBI will file an appeal. We are not asking for any favours, but I requested that the decision be taken on the basis of merit,” he said.

This development comes after several MPs, including Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Mr. Ashtikar and Mr. Nimbalkar, did not attend the Sena (UBT) parliamentary party meeting held in Delhi on June 17.

Shiv Sena (UBT) has nine Lok Sabha members and at least six MPs will have to defect together to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection provisions.