Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 19 : Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC on Saturday welcomed the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, saying the MPs had shown loyalty under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Shinde.
She also said they wanted to work for a developed Maharashtra with the NDA and Mahayuti.
Speaking to ANI, Shiv Sena leader said, "Om Birla has welcomed 6 MPs. They have shown loyalty under the leadership of Dy CM Eknath Shinde. All those who want to work for a developed Maharashtra are with the NDA and Mahayuti..."
Her remarks come after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla approved the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) rebel MPs with the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. This takes the Shiv Sena's strength to 13, reducing UBT Sena to three members in the Lok Sabha.
The six MPs included Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar and Omprakash Rajenimbalkar.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey said that the Lok Sabha Speaker's approval for the merger of six party MPs into the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena "weakened democracy."
Dubey said, "When our party was being broken in 2022, we started our fight, and now it is 2026. In these 4 years, we never came to know what mistake we committed. Our party's name was stolen, and our election symbol was stolen. The then Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari played a major role against us."
Last month, Shiv Sena (UBT) witnessed another split, with six Lok Sabha MPs joining the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, currently holds 298 seats in the Lok Sabha, including the Speaker.