Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 23 : Senior Congress leader and MLA Amin Patel on Tuesday condemned the defection of six Lok Sabha Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, labelling it a direct violation of the democratic process.
Speaking with ANI, he asserted that switching sides post-election, without seeking a fresh mandate from the electorate, undermines the very essence of parliamentary democracy. Patel argued that representatives are elected based on specific party symbols and defined ideological platforms.
"The atmosphere currently prevailing in the country is quite remarkable. When someone contests an election, they do so under a specific party's symbol and an alliance's ideology. If, after winning, an individual feels they should switch to that party or another, they ought to resign from their post," Patel said.
"Their voters cast their ballots for that specific party and ideology; switching sides amounts to a betrayal of the mandate given by the voters. Instead of betraying that trust, they should resign from their position and then join whichever party they wish," he added.
The comments come days after six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs - Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Omprakash Bhupalsingh Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh and Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar - formally joined the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The defections have reduced the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction's strength in the Lok Sabha to three MPs while bolstering the parliamentary presence of the Shinde-led Sena.
Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray strongly criticised the defectors and accused the ruling alliance of engineering the split. He also targeted Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, alleging that he had consistently avoided legislative accountability by delegating responses in the Assembly to other ministers despite retaining key portfolios.
Meanwhile, rebel MP Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh defended the move, claiming that development concerns in his constituency prompted the decision. He also rejected allegations of inducements or pressure from central agencies and said several corporators from Washim and Yavatmal had expressed interest in joining the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
The latest defections mark another chapter in the continuing political realignment within the Shiv Sena following the party's split in 2022.