Operation Tiger complete as six Uddhav Sena MPs join Shinde camp

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde declared "Operation Tiger" complete after six Lok Sabha MPs from the Shiv Sena (UBT) joined the ruling Shiv Sena. The move marks another split in the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction and strengthens Shinde's position

Mumbai: “Operation Tiger is complete now,” announced Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday, as all six rebel Lok Sabha members from the Shiv Sena (UBT) officially crossed over to the ruling Shiv Sena, formalising another split in the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction.

The rebels joined the Shiv Sena at an event in the presence of Shinde and other senior party leaders, five days after skipping a crucial parliamentary party meeting of the Shiv Sena (UBT) in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by only three Lok Sabha MPs of the Opposition party.

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The Lok Sabha MPs of the Shiv Sena (UBT) who crossed over are: Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North East), Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar (Hingoli), Omprakash Rajenimbalkar (Dharashiv) and Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi).

“My operations are foolproof,” said Shinde while referring to the six defected MPs as Dhurandhar (stalwarts/experts) who are connected to the ground.

“Operation Tiger is now complete and successful,” the Deputy CM declared while talking to reporters and added that the Shiv Sena is now the second-largest party in Maharashtra in terms of MPs.

These rebel parliamentarians had won against BJP and Shiv Sena candidates in the 2024 general elections. The Shiv Sena (UBT) had won nine Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in 2024.

Shinde said, “These Lok Sabha members have now joined the original Shiv Sena that follows the teachings of (party founder) late Balasaheb Thackeray. Four years back, I took a strong step and now I have hit a sixer (a reference to the number of MPs who have switched loyalties).” He also referred to his rebellion in June 2022 in the united Shiv Sena, which brought down the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and catapulted him to the post of chief minister.

“I did it earlier (split Shiv Sena in June 2022) to save the principles of late Balasaheb Thackeray and to save the Shiv Sena. Now, this move (rebellion in the Lok Sabha wing of the Sena UBT) is the second stage of Shiv Sena expansion,” Shinde asserted.