Operation Tiger complete, says Shinde; Raut calls rebels traitors

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut launched a sharp attack on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after six dissident Lok Sabha MPs formally joined the ruling Shiv Sena. The crossover marks another setback for the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction

Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has “given birth to six traitors”, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said after six dissident MPs of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party formally joined the ruling Shiv Sena on Monday.

He said a Kenyan woman holds a record for giving birth to quintuplets, but a cradle of six traitors is swaying in ‘Nandanvan’, the official residence of Shinde.

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“Shinde has given birth to six gaddars (traitors),” he added.

Queried about Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ remarks on “Operation Tiger”, Raut said Shinde had to undergo a “Cesarean surgery”.

Fadnavis on Sunday stated that the operation had been successful, and the body was in very good health. “There is no need for anyone to worry. Those who need to introspect should do so.”

Shinde on Monday announced that “Operation Tiger is complete” as all six rebel Lok Sabha members from the Shiv Sena (UBT) officially crossed over to the Shiv Sena, formalising another split in the Uddhav Thackeray camp.

The rebels joined the Sena at an event held 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 Sena (UBT).

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

Raut, a confidant of Uddhav Thackeray, has been the most vocal critic of Shinde.

He had used cuss words against the rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs when they skipped the party’s parliamentary board meeting in Delhi.