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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.

Ashwin: A spinner who spun narratives as well as balls

Ravichandran Ashwin, the eternal tinkerer of Indian cricket, has finally decided to hang up his IPL boots after the 2025 season. What a shocker—said no one who’s been watching his recent performances. At 39, Ashwin announced his retirement via social media, probably because he couldn’t bear another auction where teams pretend to bid on him like he’s a vintage wine that’s turned to vinegar. After 17 years of spinning webs (and occasionally getting tangled in them), he’s bowing out with 221 matches under his belt, 187 wickets at an average of 30.23, and an economy rate of 7.20 that screams “reliable, but not exactly Lasith Malinga territory.” But hey, let’s not dwell on the numbers; let’s celebrate the man who turned the IPL into his personal laboratory for experiments that sometimes worked, sometimes exploded spectacularly.


Let’s start with the highs, because every opinion piece needs a sugar rush before the diabetic coma sets in. Ashwin’s best IPL moments? Oh, where to begin with this wizard of off-spin. Remember his 4/34 against whoever-it-was—probably some hapless batsmen who thought they could dance down the track without consequences. That spell is etched in IPL lore as one of his top bowling efforts, where he turned the ball like it owed him money. And batting? The man once smashed a 50 for Rajasthan Royals against Delhi Capitals in 2022, proving he’s not just a bowler who occasionally holds a bat—he’s a bowler who occasionally pretends to be a batsman. His all-round prowess helped Chennai Super Kings win titles twice, back when MS Dhoni was still whispering sweet nothings to spinners. Ashwin was a pioneer, a trendsetter, innovating with carrom balls and arm balls that left batsmen looking like they’d seen a ghost. In his prime, he was the guy you wanted in death overs, not because he’d take five wickets, but because he’d make the opposition rethink their life choices. Kudos, Ash; you made spin sexy in a league obsessed with sixes. Or at least, tolerable.


But ah, the controversies—the spice that made Ashwin the IPL’s resident drama king. Who could forget the 2019 Mankading of Jos Buttler? There he was, mid-delivery stride, spotting Buttler wandering out of his crease like a tourist lost in Jaipur traffic, and bam! Run-out without bowling the ball. Spirit of cricket? Pfft, Ashwin called it “instinct,” while the world erupted in faux outrage. Critics screamed “unsportsmanlike,” but let’s be real: if Buttler can’t stay in his crease, maybe he should try gardening instead. Then there’s the 2022 “retired out” fiasco against Lucknow Super Giants, where Ashwin tactically benched himself mid-innings, becoming the first IPL player to do so. Innovative? Sure. But it felt like quitting a bad date halfway through—classy, or just cowardly? Oh, and his YouTube channel antics! Posting videos dissecting CSK’s strategies, criticizing teammates like Noor Ahmad, and stirring pots like a celebrity chef. Last season, he even dragged Dewald Brevis into a price-tag row, questioning Mumbai Indians’ splurge on the kid while ignoring his own waning form. The man collected controversies like kids collect Pokémon cards: obsessively and with zero regrets.


Now, for the failures, because balance is key, and sarcasm demands we roast the lows. Ashwin’s IPL journey wasn’t all carrom-ball glory; there were seasons where he bowled like he’d forgotten his glasses at home. Take 2025, his much-hyped return to CSK for a cool ₹9.75 crore. What did we get? Five wickets in six matches, an average that could double as a highway speed limit, and Dhoni himself admitting the team’s bowling woes. Ashwin looked lost, handing out runs like free samples at a mall. Critics piled on, calling his performances “safe” but ineffective, as CSK tumbled down the table. Remember those Powerplay battles he lamented back in 2019 with Kings XI Punjab? Yeah, his team lost most games there, thanks in part to overseas pacers flopping and Ashwin’s inability to stem the flow. Injuries didn’t help, nor did his occasional brain fades, like failing to adapt outside subcontinental pitches in international cricket, which bled into IPL inconsistencies. And let’s chuckle at his fan-trolling episode in 2025, where he begged CSK supporters to “learn from loyal RCB fans” amid the team’s slump. Bold move, Ash—alienating your own base while underperforming. In Rajasthan Royals’ 2025 underperformance saga, he was part of the tactical misfires that saw them flounder, proving even legends can turn into liabilities when age catches up.


In the end, Ashwin’s IPL retirement feels like the merciful end to a long-running sitcom.


(The Writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai. Views personal.)

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