Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs skip meeting, party to seek their disqualification

New Delhi, June 18: Six of the nine Lok Sabha MPs of the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday skipped a crucial parliamentary party meeting here, indicating a formal crossover to the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
A visibly upset Sanjay Raut, the lone Rajya Sabha MP of the Shiv Sena (UBT), launched a tirade against the absentees and showered threats and expletives on them, saying the “traitors” will need protection from the Indian Air Force to save themselves from the wrath of Shiv Sainiks.
Sena (UBT) MPs Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje attended the meeting, along with Raut. The absence of the remaining six Lok Sabha MPs all but confirmed a split in the party’s parliamentary ranks.The MPs who skipped the meeting are Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar and Bhausaheb Wakchaure. (PTI)