Operation Tiger: 6 out of 9 MPs Leave Shiv Sena (UBT) and Join Shiv Sena
Operation Tiger has gained momentum as 6 Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs joined Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, triggering a major political battle in Maharashtra.
"Operation Tiger" has become one of the biggest political topics in Maharashtra. The term is being used to describe the efforts of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his Shiv Sena faction to bring leaders and elected representatives from other parties into their camp.
The biggest development came when 6 out of 9 Shiv Sena (UBT) Members of Parliament decided to leave Uddhav Thackeray's party and join Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena. This is being seen as the biggest success for the Shinde faction since the Shiv Sena split in 2022.
The six MPs are Omraje Nimbalkar from Dharashiv, Sanjay Dina Patil from Mumbai North-East, Sanjay Jadhav from Parbhani, Sanjay Deshmukh from Yavatmal-Washim, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar from Hingoli and Bhausaheb Wakchaure from Shirdi.
Political observers say Operation Tiger did not begin with these MPs. For many months, Eknath Shinde's party has been quietly attracting leaders from different political parties across Maharashtra.
As Operation Tiger gained momentum, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray strongly criticised the BJP and the Shinde faction during a public rally in Mumbai. He accused the BJP of trying to break his party. He said that although Shiv Sena and Congress were political rivals for many years, Congress had never tried to split Shiv Sena. According to him, the BJP was responsible for the current divisions within the party.
To stop more leaders from leaving, Uddhav Thackeray has planned a tour across several parts of Maharashtra. Many of these places are represented by MPs who are expected to leave or have already left the Uddhav faction.
Political analysts believe Operation Tiger is not just about bringing more leaders into Eknath Shinde's party. It is also aimed at strengthening the party's organisation across Maharashtra before future elections. Apart from the six MPs, leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, NCP, BJP, MNS, BRS and other parties have also joined the Shinde faction over the past several months.
