Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has given approval for separate seating in the House for the 20 rebel TMC MPs who have joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). Mr Birla has also given his approval to the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. With the merger of the six MPs, the strength of the Shiv Sena has gone up to 13 from seven in the Lower House of Parliament.