New Delhi, July 18 -- Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday approved the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) rebel MPs with the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

This takes the Shiv Sena's strength to 13, reducing UBT Sena to three members in the Lok Sabha.

Additionally, the Speaker also approved separate seating in the Lok Sabha for 20 MPs who broke away from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and announced a merger with the regional party, the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).

However, the merger of rebel TMC MPs has not yet been approved by the Speaker.

Last month, rebel TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar led a total of 20 MPs and announced a merger with a regional NCPI. Shiv Sena (UBT) has also witnessed a...