Uddhav Thackeray, chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), called an emergency meeting of his party's MPs at his Mumbai residence to counter poaching efforts.
The gathering serves as a defensive maneuver against "Operation Tiger," a reported strategy by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde to weaken Thackeray's hold on his legislators. If successful, the poaching of key members could shift the balance of power within the Maharashtra political landscape and undermine the UBT faction's influence in the Lok Sabha.
The meetings were scheduled for Feb. 20 and Feb. 25, 2026 [1], taking place at the Thackeray family home, known as Matooshi house. These discussions aimed to address internal concerns and prevent further defections among the party ranks.
Reports indicate that Operation Tiger specifically targets nine Lok Sabha MPs [2]. The effort to woo these leaders is reportedly tied to strategic positioning ahead of the Maharashtra MLC polls, with some reports on the maneuver surfacing as early as April 10, 2026 [3].
Thackeray's decision to convene the MPs at his private residence suggests a need for high-level discretion and personal loyalty checks. The move follows a period of instability where rival factions have consistently attempted to peel away supporters from the UBT wing.
While some reports mentioned political commentator Anand Dubey targeting the BJP in relation to these events, those claims remain uncorroborated by primary news sources.
“Uddhav Thackeray called an emergency meeting of Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs at his family house to counter ‘Operation Tiger’.”
This confrontation highlights the ongoing volatility of Maharashtra's political alliances, where the stability of a party often depends on the personal loyalty of a few key legislators. By calling a meeting at his family home, Thackeray is attempting to consolidate his base against a targeted poaching campaign that could significantly diminish his party's legislative strength.
