Six Shiv Sena (UBT) members of parliament met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on April 30, 2026, to seek separate recognition for their faction [1].

The move comes as the party faces internal instability and mounting speculation regarding a potential split or a merger with the faction led by Eknath Shinde. Because the Speaker oversees anti-defection rules, this request is a strategic attempt to secure the legal status of the UBT wing in the lower house.

Anil Desai, one of the six MPs [1] who attended the meeting in New Delhi, addressed the possibility of a party merger. "Only a political party can merge and I request the Speaker to inform the party if any group approaches him regarding such matters," Desai said [3].

The delegation submitted a formal letter to the Speaker's office. An unnamed Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said, "We have submitted a letter seeking separate recognition for our faction" [2]. The lawmakers requested the Speaker's intervention under anti-defection provisions to clarify the party's standing amid rumors of a split [2].

This internal friction occurs alongside broader political maneuvering in Maharashtra. On the same day, 10 Maharashtra MLC candidates were set to be elected unopposed after the Congress party backed Shiv Sena (UBT) [4].

Vijay Wadettiwar said the Congress support for the UBT faction in the MLC polls is part of a reciprocal arrangement. "We are supporting Shiv Sena (UBT) in the MLC polls and will receive support in return for an upcoming Rajya Sabha seat," Wadettiwar said [4].

“"Only a political party can merge and I request the Speaker to inform the party if any group approaches him regarding such matters."”

The request for separate recognition is a defensive legal maneuver to prevent the Eknath Shinde faction from claiming sole legitimacy over the Shiv Sena name and symbol. By involving the Lok Sabha Speaker, the UBT faction seeks to formalize its identity to avoid disqualification under anti-defection laws, while simultaneously using strategic alliances with the Congress party to maintain legislative influence in Maharashtra.