The six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs are said to be rebelling against the party were a no-show at the event organised by party to mark six years of Shiv Sena. The development has further fuelled speculation of a split in the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction as it comes a day after the six MPs skipped a key party meeting.Shiv Sena (UBT) 60th foundation Day celebration at Shanmukhanand Hall in Matunga. (HT/Raju Shinde)The rebel MPs are reportedly in the process of forming their own group and join the Shiv Sena faction led by former Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde. If the split goes through, this would be the second such blow to Uddhav Thackeray in two years. In 2022, Eknath Shinde led a big rebellion which had split the Shiv Sena in two.Notably, the six MPs - Sanjay Dina Patil, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Om Raje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Sanjay Deshmukh and Sanjay Jadhav, were also not seen at the 60th foundation day event organised by Shinde's camp. However, some Shiv Sena leaders have said that a formal announcement on the political developments will be made after two days.Uddhav Thackeray's clarification on Congress mergerDuring the 60th foundation day event in Matunga, Uddhav Thackeray addressed his camp's supporters and also addressed reports of “fear" among rebel MPs that the UBT Sena would merge with the Congress. “We didn't merge with BJP after alliance for 30 years. Why would we merge with Congress?,” he said.Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske had claimed that the rebel MPs feared that the UBT Sena could eventually be merged with the Congress and decided to chart a separate course. He had also called Sanjay Raut an “agent of Congress”. During the Friday event, Uddhav also apologised to voters in constituencies represented by the rebel MPs. "People are losing faith in democracy. I am worried that if this (poaching on elected representatives) continues, the country may go towards anarchy," he said.