Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant, citing anti-defection law, has appealed to the Lok Sabha Speaker not to recognize the 6 MPs who joined the Shinde faction. He said that under the law, only the party can be merged, not the members.
Demand for not giving recognition to MPs
New Delhi [भारत]July 16 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant on Thursday urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla not to recognize six of the party’s MPs who have joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. He alleged that the anti-defection law does not allow MPs to form a separate group and merge with any other political party.
He said the party has lodged its objections with the Speaker, arguing that under the provisions of the anti-defection law, only a political party can merge with another party and not individual members. Sawant expressed hope that the Speaker will take the decision as per the Constitution.
Sawant told reporters, “Everyone knows that six of our MPs have joined the Shinde faction. As per the anti-defection law, only a party can merge with another party; members cannot go and merge with any party. Where in the law is there permission to form a group and get recognition by the Lok Sabha Speaker? We have told the Speaker that those MPs cannot be recognised. I hope the Speaker will respect the Constitution.”
His comments come after six Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs – Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchore, Omprakash Bhupalsingh Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh and Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar formally joined the Eknath Shinde faction on July 6. With this, Uddhav Thackeray’s strength in the Lok Sabha has reduced to three MPs and this is another big blow for Shiv Sena (UBT) after the split in the party in 2022.
Shinde’s counter attack on Uddhav group
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday rejected the “low-level” comments made by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and said even reacting to them was below his level. He further drew a distinction between Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
The Deputy Chief Minister further said, “They use the language of ‘destroying’, while we speak the language of ‘development and progress’. They have been abusing for four years, but they are only digging a deep hole for themselves. The people of Maharashtra stand firmly with us.” (ANI)
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