Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Arvind Sawant on Tuesday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him not to entertain any unauthorised claims seeking recognition of a separate group or merger involving MPs elected on the party’s symbol.

The letter comes amid growing speculation that several MPs from the party may join the rival Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, The Indian Express reported.

In the letter, sent on the instructions of party chief Uddhav Thackeray, Sawant said media reports suggested that some MPs elected on the Shiv Sena (UBT) symbol had either approached or were considering approaching the Lok Sabha speaker’s office seeking recognition as a separate group or a merger with another political party in the Lok Sabha.

The Lok Sabha MP urged Birla not to entertain any such claim.

Sawant said Shiv Sena (UBT) remained a “single political party” in the eyes of the law and argued that the parliamentary party was “represented in the House through its duly authorised leader and whip, and that no separate recognition, status, privilege or facility be accorded to any purported faction or breakaway group claiming to represent the party”.

He stated that the constitutional framework did not allow for “multiple competing formations claiming to represent the same political party” within Parliament.

Citing a 2023 Supreme Court judgment, Sawant argued that the constitutional recognition previously given to a “split” no longer existed following the 2003 amendment to the Tenth Schedule.

“The constitutional framework therefore does not recognise the creation of splinter groups within a political party as a legitimate basis for separate existence in the legislature,” he said.

He said the judgment affirmed the primacy of the political party over the legislature party and that any claim to function independently of the party would be inconsistent with constitutional principles.

He further argued that a merger under Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule required both a merger of the original political party and the support of at least two-thirds of the members of the legislature party.

“The two requirements operate conjunctively and not disjunctively,” Sawant stated. “Public reports appear to proceed on the erroneous assumption that the numerical requirement alone is sufficient.”

He asserted there had been no merger of Shiv Sena (UBT) with any other political party and requested that no separate recognition, status, privilege or facility be granted to any purported faction claiming to represent the party.

Sawant also asked the speaker that no decision be taken on any such request without first allowing Shiv Sena (UBT) to present its submissions.

The letter comes amid reports that a group of Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs may break away from the party.

Several Uddhav Sena MPs arrived in Delhi on Tuesday, while Eknath Shinde travelled to the national capital later the same night, The Indian Express reported.

However, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders have publicly rejected suggestions of a split.

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said reports of a breakaway group were “a lie” and stated that all MPs had recently “expressed faith” in party chief Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, ANI reported.

Later, however, Raut alleged on social media that attempts were being made to induce MPs to switch sides.

He claimed that MPs were being offered Rs 50 crore to join rival parties.

Shinde Sena leader Shaina NC rejected suggestions that the party was attempting to engineer defections, saying it had “no interest in breaking any party”, ANI reported.

However, her party colleague, MLC Krupal Tumane said discussions with seven Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs were at an advanced stage and claimed they were likely to join the Shinde faction before the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament, the news agency reported.

The Shiv Sena had split in June 2022 after then-Chief Minister Eknath Shinde claimed the support of 39 out of the Shiv Sena’s 55 MLAs, in addition to 10 independent MLAs, and rebelled against Thackeray’s Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition.

Shinde went on to dislodge the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government, becoming chief minister with the support of Bharatiya Janata Party for about two years and five months.

Both factions have since then contested who represents the real Shiv Sena.

Written by Sara Varghese. Edited by Neerad Pandharipande.