Mumbai: Maharashtra politics witnessed fresh turmoil on Sunday as the political operation popularly dubbed “Operation Tiger” appeared to reach a decisive stage, with multiple MPs from the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction moving closer to joining the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
According to reports, six Members of Parliament from Uddhav Thackeray’s camp are set to formally align with the Shinde faction, dealing another major blow to the former Maharashtra chief minister’s party. The development comes four years after the 2022 rebellion that split the Shiv Sena and led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray government.
Leaders from the Shinde camp described the move as a successful phase of “Operation Tiger,” a political strategy aimed at expanding the party’s strength and consolidating support ahead of future elections. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also indicated that the operation had achieved its objective after the latest round of defections.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has strongly criticized the developments. Party leader Aaditya Thackeray accused rebel MPs of abandoning the party for political gain, while senior leader Sanjay Raut dismissed claims that the party’s organization was collapsing.
Amid speculation that the defections could extend beyond MPs, attention has turned to whether more MLAs may also switch sides in the coming weeks. However, no large scale MLA defection has been officially confirmed so far.
To counter the crisis, Uddhav Thackeray has held a series of meetings with party lawmakers and is preparing a statewide outreach campaign aimed at strengthening support among party workers and preventing further erosion of his political base.
Political observers say the latest defections could significantly weaken the parliamentary strength of Shiv Sena (UBT) and further strengthen the position of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra. However, analysts also note that Uddhav Thackeray retains a loyal grassroots support base, particularly in Mumbai and parts of the Konkan region, meaning the long term political impact will depend on future elections rather than defections alone.
