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By:

Quad Najmi and PTI

17 June 2026 at 5:11:32 pm

Uddhav faces another rebellion; decision today

Six Lok Sabha MPs trying to move away; picture may be clear at today’s Parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi AI generated image Mumbai: A cloak-and-dagger crisis engulfing the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has landed at the door of the Lok Sabha Speaker, with the party urging him to guard against any unlawful defection and issuing a whip directing its MPs to attend a meeting in Delhi on Thursday. Amid the escalating crisis, a group of rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders is learnt to have met...

Uddhav faces another rebellion; decision today

Six Lok Sabha MPs trying to move away; picture may be clear at today’s Parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi AI generated image Mumbai: A cloak-and-dagger crisis engulfing the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has landed at the door of the Lok Sabha Speaker, with the party urging him to guard against any unlawful defection and issuing a whip directing its MPs to attend a meeting in Delhi on Thursday. Amid the escalating crisis, a group of rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders is learnt to have met Speaker Om Birla informally on Wednesday, claiming the support of six of the party's nine MPs in the Lower House, sources said. Thursday's high-stakes meeting in Delhi will legally and physically define whether Uddhav Thackeray retains his parliamentary strength or faces another devastating party division, the third since Raj Thackeray split Shiv Sena in 2006. Sources in Sena (UBT) said the rival camp still doesn't have the support of six MPs. They claim two of the six rebels have reportedly changed their mind. In a swift counter-offensive to contain the damage, the party high command issued a mandatory three-line whip, summoning an emergency parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi on Thursday to force a physical showdown where the MPs will have to mark their presence physically. The developments triggered a day of high political drama in the national capital, marked by a furious, expletive-laden press conference by Raut, a reported counter-meeting by the rebel faction with Lok Sabha Speaker Birla, and sharp condemnation from the Congress. The internal fracture was visible at Sanjay Raut's press briefing, where only three other Lok Sabha MPs, Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, and Rajabhau Waje, stood by him. The remaining six lawmakers were conspicuously absent; their exact whereabouts are unknown. The Sena (UBT) has nine MPs in the Lok Sabha, and at least two‑thirds of them would be required to form a separate group. Apart from Desai, Waje and Sawant, the other six MPs are Sanjay Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar and Sanjay Jadhav Not Reachable The six MPs stopped responding or became unavailable since Wednesday forenoon, after which the party stopped contacting them. They said when the party contacted Mumbai North East MP, Sanjay Dina Patil, he told party leaders that he was not with the rebel group. The party had asked them to submit a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, which he has not submitted so far. Later in the day, sources claimed that the group of six rebel lawmakers had privately met the Lok Sabha Speaker to claim a two-thirds majority in the Lower House, the precise threshold required to escape disqualification under the anti-defection law. Simultaneously, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who split the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022, was reportedly camping in Delhi to oversee the operational layout of the defection of MPs. He returned to his home town Thane in Wednesday night. He is reportedly studying all the legal aspects before taking a final call before the party’s foundation day on Friday. Speaker’s Role Following reports of the rebels' move, a loyalist delegation consisting of Raut, Sawant, and Desai rushed to meet Speaker Birla to file a formal representation urging him to reject any unlawful group alignment. Desai argued that the legal provisions are strictly on the side of the original organisational structure. "Under the law, a splinter group cannot simply merge with another party on its own, even if they have two-thirds support. Only the original administrative party holds that right," Desai told reporters, adding that the Speaker assured them he would thoroughly examine every legal aspect before rendering a decision. The widening panic inside the party also triggered a public, familial disconnect involving missing Hingoli MP Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar. While the MP remained unreachable, his son, Krushna Patil Ashtikar, the MVA's official candidate for Thursday's Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, released a video statement strongly defending Uddhav Thackeray. "I am a Shiv Sainik of Uddhav Thackeray. There is no room for doubt when it comes to me," the younger Ashtikar stated.

A Struggle for Recognition and Rights

Frontier Nagaland Territory

In a remarkable political development, the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), representing six districts of Nagaland’s eastern fringe, has tentatively accepted the Centre’s proposal for a “Frontier Nagaland Territory” (FNT). The arrangement promises executive, legislative, and financial autonomy for the region but stops short of the statehood ENPO has long demanded. While the decision reflects pragmatism on the part of ENPO, it also underscores a history of neglect and a region’s enduring fight for equitable treatment.


The ENPO’s demand for a separate state has its roots in decades of marginalization. Formed as a response to the stark developmental disparities between Nagaland’s eastern districts and the rest of the state, the ENPO has accused successive governments in Kohima of overlooking the needs of the eight tribes that inhabit the region, namely Chang, Konyak, Phom, Tikhir, Sangtam, Yimkhiung, Khiamniungan and a segment of the Sema community. Allegations of insufficient infrastructure, limited political representation, and poor economic opportunities have fuelled discontent since Nagaland attained statehood in 1963.


The ENPO has temporarily accepted the Centre’s compromise after talks with central and state representatives, marking a pivotal moment in its statehood struggle. This calculated pause aims to secure concessions from a central government eager to maintain Northeast stability. The proposed FNT offers unprecedented autonomy with legislative, financial, and executive powers tailored to the region’s needs. For the BJP-led Central government, the move balances addressing ENPO’s demands while avoiding a precedent that might fuel other autonomy movements in the volatile Northeast.


The roots of eastern Nagaland’s alienation can be traced to the creation of Nagaland in 1963. While hailed as a landmark in India’s integration of its Northeast, the state’s formation left some regions feeling marginalized. Eastern Nagaland, with its rugged terrain and sparse population, remained disconnected from the state’s developmental narrative. Despite accounting for one-third of Nagaland’s 60 Assembly seats, the six districts—Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang—lagged behind in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.


In 2010, these grievances crystallized into a formal demand for statehood, with the ENPO launching a “people’s movement” to press its case. The boycott of high-profile events, including Nagaland’s statehood celebrations and the internationally acclaimed Hornbill Festival, underscored the region’s simmering discontent. This year’s Lok Sabha and urban local body polls were similarly shunned, further amplifying the ENPO’s call for change.


The ENPO’s acceptance of the FNT proposal is a strategic gamble. The organization has expressed optimism that the Centre, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will honor its commitments. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had assured the ENPO during the 2023 Assembly election campaign that their concerns would be addressed if the BJP-NDPP alliance retained power.


However, the ENPO’s trust is not without reservations. A history of unmet promises has bred scepticism among the region’s residents. The proposed FNT remains a compromise.


The Centre’s handling of the ENPO’s demand carries wider implications for the autonomy movements across the Northeast, from Bodoland in Assam to Garoland in Meghalaya. The January tripartite talks will be crucial in resolving unresolved issues, particularly the scope of FNT’s autonomy. Missteps could revive statehood demands, complicating the region’s politics.


In the immediate term, the focus will be on whether the FNT can deliver tangible benefits. Improved infrastructure, better governance, and increased representation could validate the ENPO’s decision to accept the proposal. Conversely, failure to meet expectations could deepen alienation, lending fresh impetus to the statehood movement. The proposed FNT may provide a temporary salve, but the region’s journey towards equality and recognition is far from over.

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