A day after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Deshmukh met Shiv Sena minister Prataprao Jadhav, triggering speculation about a possible defection, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut dismissed the rumours and said a "wrong picture was being painted".
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut asserted that all Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs remain united and committed to the party. "All Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs are together and will remain together," he said.
Raut also took aim at the ruling BJP, alleging that it has a history of engineering splits in political parties and arguing that such practices are harmful to the country's political system.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has downplayed the speculation of an 'Operation Tiger' being afoot (by ruling Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde) to poach party MPs. Notably, the mascot of the undivided Shiv Sena was a tiger drawn by party founder Bal Thackeray.
Thackeray on Sunday called a meeting of party MPs. Of the nine Lok Sabha members, only four --- Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, Rajabhau Waze and Sanjay Patil --- attended the meeting in person, while Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar and Sanjay Deshmukh attended online.
Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Jadhav spoke to Thackeray over the phone, Raut said on Monday. The five MPs had cited different reasons to attend the meeting virtually.
Deshmukh, MP from Yavatmal-Washim, had said he skipped the meeting for family reasons. He, however, met Union minister Prataprao Jadhav in Delhi on Monday, fuelling speculation that he could switch sides.
"Painting such a picture is wrong," Raut said.
Asked if he was in the national capital to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, amid buzz that some Sena (UBT) MPs could form a separate group, just like the TMC leaders, Raut denied any such move.
The Rajya Sabha member parried a question on the purpose of his Delhi visit.
(With inputs from PTI)