Parliamentary Power Dynamics Shift as Shiv Sena Merger Takes Effect

The monsoon session of Parliament, which begins on Monday, will see a new equation of power and power. This session will reduce the strength of Mamata Banerjee's TMC and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) in the Lok Sabha. Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena will increase its strength in Parliament. Eknath Shinde is currently with the NDA. Ahead of the monsoon session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday approved the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. He also allowed a separate seating arrangement for 20 rebel TMC MPs who have joined a little-known party called the NCPI. Government sources said that after the merger of these six MPs, the number of Shiv Sena MPs has increased to 13. Earlier, Shinde's party had 7 MPs in the Lok Sabha. From Monday, the seating arrangement of the Lok Sabha will also change completely. TMC's 20 rebel MPs will sit separately from its parent party, the National Citizens'Party of India (NCPI).