India, June 18 -- Six of the nine Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) or (UBT) Lok Sabha members skipped a meeting of the party's parliamentary wing on Thursday, a day after they signed a letter to form a separate grouping ahead of a planned merger with the Shiv Sena. The move offered more clarity after confusion about the actual number of rebels, as they need a minimum of six to form a separate group to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law.

The meeting was to determine how many Lok Sabha members are with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, Uddhav Thackeray, and whether he would avert a split.

Arvind Sawant, the Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha leader, issued a whip on Wednesday, directing all nine members to attend the meeting in New Del...