Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has alleged that some party MPs were offered rs 15 crore each to leave Uddhav Thackeray’s camp and join the rival Shiv Sena fraction led by Maharashtra Deputy Cheif Minister Eknath Shinde.
The explosive claim comes amid reports that several of the party’s nine Lok Sabha MPs are in touch with the Shinde camp, triggering fresh speculation of a possible split. Raut claimed the money was only an advance and challenged any MP planning to defect to first resign and seek a fresh mandate from voters.
In response to the growing buzz, Shiv Sena (UBT) has called a meeting of its MPs and insisted that the party remains united. The Shinde faction, meanwhile has denied allegations of lawmakers.
The latest controversy has revived memories of the 2022 Shiv Sena split that reshaped Maharashtra politics. While no MP has officially announced a defection and no evidence of the alleged cash offer has been made public, the developments have intensified the political battle between the Thackeray and Shinde camps.
