Seven Lok Sabha members from the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena met Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Delhi on June 7, 2026 [1].
This meeting is significant because the number of attendees represents the two-thirds threshold required to legally form a separate faction within the party. If these members officially jump ship, it could fundamentally alter the power dynamics of the Shiv Sena and weaken the Thackeray-led wing.
The meeting took place at a confidential location in the capital [1]. According to reports, seven out of the nine total MPs from the Uddhav faction attended the gathering [1]. Sources said the lawmakers are considering aligning with the camp led by Shinde, a move that would likely signal a formal split in the party's parliamentary representation [1].
However, the exact scale of the meeting remains a point of contention among reports. While some sources indicate a large group of seven MPs was present, other reports said only MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar met Shinde at his residence [1].
The potential defection is being linked to a strategy referred to as "Operation Tiger" [1]. The movement of these members would leave the Uddhav Thackeray faction with only two members in the Lok Sabha, should the reports of seven defectors prove accurate [1].
“Seven out of nine Uddhav-faction MPs attended a meeting with Shinde in Delhi”
The reported meeting suggests a coordinated effort to destabilize the Uddhav Thackeray faction by meeting the legal requirements for a party split. If seven of nine MPs migrate to the Shinde camp, the Thackeray wing loses its primary legislative leverage in the Lok Sabha, potentially clearing the way for a legal consolidation of the Shiv Sena brand under the current government's alignment.
