Six of the nine Lok Sabha MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) may defect to the Eknath Shinde camp under a reported plan called “Operation Tiger” [1, 2].
A mass defection would severely weaken Uddhav Thackeray’s influence in the Indian Parliament and solidify Shinde's control over the party's legacy. This power struggle follows the previous split of the Shiv Sena, which divided the party into two competing factions.
The reported effort targets high-profile members, including Sanjay Raut, Arvind Sawant, and Anil Desai [1]. Sources said that meetings have already taken place in Delhi with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla [1].
Financial incentives are allegedly central to the recruitment effort. Sanjay Raut said that Maharashtra MPs were offered Rs 50 crore each to switch sides [2]. According to the same reports, an advance payment of Rs 15 crore has already been paid to some individuals [2].
The Shiv Sena (UBT) currently holds nine seats in the Lok Sabha [2]. If six of these members leave, the faction would lose the majority of its parliamentary representation. This shift would leave Uddhav Thackeray with only three MPs to represent the party's interests at the national level.
The Shinde faction is seeking to increase its parliamentary strength to consolidate political power within Maharashtra [1, 2]. The internal turmoil comes as both sides continue to fight for the legal and symbolic identity of the original Shiv Sena party.
“Six of the nine Lok Sabha MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) may defect to the Eknath Shinde camp”
The potential success of 'Operation Tiger' would effectively neutralize Shiv Sena (UBT) as a significant legislative force in the Lok Sabha. By stripping the Thackeray faction of two-thirds of its MPs, the Shinde camp would not only gain numerical strength but also deal a psychological blow to the opposition's stability in Maharashtra, potentially altering the state's political alignment ahead of future elections.
