Last week, 40 Shiv Sena MLAs of Eknath Shinde camp submitted a 6,000-page response to the speaker, Rahul Narwekar, for the disqualification petitions against them. They claimed to be the real Shiv Sena based on Supreme Court applications, party AGMs, and an Election Commission ruling. They also demanded separate hearings for each MLA.
The petitions were issued to 54 Shiv Sena MLAs from both factions on July 15. Shinde-led Sena MLAs had requested four weeks to submit their responses following the notices. Later, they were given a two-week extension by Speaker Rahul Narwekar.
Whereas the MLAs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) had already submitted a 242-page response in the third week of July. They claimed to be the original Shiv Sena based on having more elected MPs. They also challenged the selection of a new whip and speaker by the Shinde faction.
Notably, the Thackeray faction emphasises that the party has shifted from its Hindutva roots, leading to internal disagreements. They accused the Shinde faction of disobeying its whip and violating the party's constitution.
To support their claims, both factions have submitted various documents, including those from Supreme Court applications and party AGMs in 2014 and 2019. The speaker, Rahul Narwekar, is a quasi-judicial authority who will examine the submissions and take a decision privately.
Furthermore, the decision could face further delays if the speaker agrees to the Shinde faction's request for individual hearings. However, it is worth noting that the previous Election Commission ruled in favour of the Shinde faction. They have been allowed to use the party's name and emblem.
The Shiv Sena split in June 2022, when Eknath Shinde led a group of 40 MLAs to support the BJP government. The remaining MLAs stayed with Uddhav Thackeray, who remained in the alliance with the NCP and Congress. Both factions claim to be the real Shiv Sena and have challenged each other's legitimacy.
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