Reports suggest seven members of parliament from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) may defect to Eknath Shinde's faction [1].
The alleged movement, referred to as “Operation Tiger,” threatens to significantly diminish the legislative strength of the UBT faction in the Parliament. If the reports are accurate, the defection would involve seven of the nine total MPs currently representing the UBT wing [2].
Krupal Tumane, a Shiv Sena UBT member of the legislative council, said that the defection plan has reached its final stage [1]. The speculation intensified after MP Sanjay Jadhav made a remark regarding his political future. "I am with you today, but cannot say about tomorrow," Jadhav said.
However, leaders from both sides of the split have pushed back against the narrative. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde dismissed the rumors of a coordinated switch. "These reports are baseless; there is no Operation Tiger," Shinde said [3].
Sanjay Raut, a leader of the Shiv Sena UBT, also downplayed the possibility of a mass exit. While Raut denied the defection, reports indicate he warned of a counter-strategy. "We will retaliate with Operation Wolf," Raut said [1].
The political tension arrives ahead of the Parliament’s Monsoon session, a period often marked by shifting alliances in Maharashtra politics. The region has seen repeated fractures within the original Shiv Sena party, leading to the current divide between the Shinde and Thackeray camps.
Despite the denials, the public comments from MPs like Jadhav have fueled speculation in political circles in Mumbai and regions such as Aurangabad and Parbhani. The UBT faction currently holds nine seats in the Parliament [2], meaning the loss of seven members would leave the party with only two representatives.
“"I am with you today, but cannot say about tomorrow"”
The conflicting reports of 'Operation Tiger' highlight the fragile stability of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the ongoing effort by Eknath Shinde to consolidate power. While the official denials suggest a stalemate, the public ambiguity from sitting MPs indicates internal volatility that could shift the balance of power in Maharashtra's representation in the national Parliament.
