Mumbai: After the Aam Aadmi Party and the Trinamool Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena is facing an internal rebellion and fears a 2022-model split soon. Senior Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut alleged that attempts were being made to buy out some Maharashtra MPs by offering them ₹50 crore each.
Condemning the move, he challenged dissidents to quit and declared that strict action would be taken to avoid another split. He was addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Out of the nine Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha members, only three -- Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje -- attended the press conference.
"I was told that the rate is ₹50 crore and that ₹15 crore each would be delivered by tonight. They were allegedly unwilling to board the aircraft without receiving the money," Raut claimed.
At the same time, he added that there is no official information about any split in the party and that reports about some MPs breaking away were being learned through the media.
"If parties are broken in this manner, there is no meaning left in fighting elections," he said.
Raut asserted that all the MPs in question had been elected on the Sena (UBT)'s "mashal" symbol under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray, and "nobody has the right to betray that mandate".
Warning of a strong response, he said Maharashtra and Sena (UBT) workers would not remain silent if there was a repeat of the events that led to the split in the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022.
"If anybody wants to leave, they should first resign. They have come to Parliament on our party's ticket and because voters elected them," he said.
Raut, who is camping in Delhi following the crisis in the Sena (UBT), further said the party had initiated legal measures and issued a whip ahead of a meeting of its parliamentary party scheduled for Thursday.
He said party leaders had also written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to act strictly in accordance with constitutional provisions.
Desai said the party's faith in its MPs remained intact, but legal safeguards were being put in place as a precaution.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders alleged that the practice of "buying and breaking" elected representatives posed a threat to democracy and the Constitution..
One MP took Sai Baba's oath four times, another swore in the name of Goddess Bhavani, others swore on their children and mothers, saying they would remain with us, Raut said, referring to Sunday's meeting of Sena (UBT) parliamentarians with Uddhav Thackeray.
"We spent our blood and sweat for these MPs. We gave them tickets and whatever financial help we could. If such reports are true, they should deny them," he said.
These MPs have been elected because of Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and late (Shiv Sena founder) Balasaheb Thackeray, not because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, he asserted.
A legal battle will follow. It is not so easy. Anyone thinking that a few people can gather and settle matters through money is mistaken, Raut said.
Alleging pressure on Dharashiv MP Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, Raut said the verdict in the 20-year-old murder case of the MP's father was scheduled on Wednesday.
"He (Nimbalkar) was allegedly told that if he wanted a favourable verdict in the murder case of his father, he should join their group," Raut claimed, noting the verdict is now likely to be pronounced on Saturday.
"If this is happening, what remains of the Constitution, the courts and democracy? Tomorrow's parliamentary party meeting will reveal the situation. Everyone has been invited, and everyone should attend," Raut said.
The Sena (UBT) leader further said, "Whatever the party has given us, we cannot forget. Balasaheb Thackeray treated us like sons, and Uddhav Thackeray has always treated us like brothers."
(With inputs from PTI)