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One of the earliest breakthroughs came when MP Ashok Ashtikar was convinced that a realignment within the party was imminent, sources said
The episode marks another significant chapter in the continuing battle for the legacy of Shiv Sena and Bal Thackeray. (AI-Generated Image)
In a fresh setback for Uddhav Thackeray, the oft-discussed ‘Operation Tiger’ has once again reshaped internal equations in Maharashtra politics, with six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs all set to break ranks and align with the Eknath Shinde faction in Mumbai on Monday.
The realignment, however, was not a sudden political manoeuvre.
Sources have told CNN-News18 that the carefully planned exercise had been in the works for nearly a year and the responsibility for executing the operation was largely entrusted to Shiv Sena leader and MP Shrikant Shinde, who emerged as the key architect of the outreach effort. While the groundwork began almost a year ago, the plan gathered significant momentum over the last six to eight months, the sources added.
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According to sources, Shrikant Shinde played a central role in maintaining contact with MPs, keeping communication channels open and addressing concerns of leaders who were considering a shift. He also acted as the crucial bridge between political developments in Mumbai and decision-makers in Delhi.
One of the earliest breakthroughs came when MP Ashok Ashtikar was convinced that a realignment within the party was imminent. Sources claim that by the time Uddhav Thackeray convened a key meeting with party MPs on Sunday, signatures from five rebel MPs had already been secured in support of the proposed move.
The operation was reportedly kept under tight wraps, with only four to five individuals aware of the full plan apart from Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Sources said the small circle included two members of the Maharashtra cabinet.
The decisive phase unfolded in Delhi. On June 16, six rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs arrived in the national capital via private jets from different cities and were accommodated at a hotel in Noida. The following day, June 17, Shrikant Shinde, Omraje Nimbalkar and the rebel MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submitted a signed proposal backed by the rebels.
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The MPs who decided to switch camps have reportedly justified their move by claiming that Shiv Sena (UBT) had drifted away from its original ideological foundations. They also alleged that senior leaders within the party were pushing for a closer alignment or eventual merger with the Congress, a development they said prompted their decision to exit and back the Shinde-led faction.
The latest development is the biggest rebellion faced by Uddhav Thackeray since the 2022 split.
Last week, Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared that there is now only one Shiv Sena, throwing his weight behind Eknath Shinde’s faction. “…Earlier, we had to call the Shiv Sena Shinde faction after (Eknath) Shinde. Now, there is no faction. There is only one Shiv Sena.”
On the other hand, a resilient Uddhav Thackeray told MPs at a meeting earlier that those who wished to leave the party were free to do so and that he would only wish them well. “A major split took place in the party four years ago. Forty MLAs walked away. Do you think I was unaware of what was happening? Today may not be my time, but tomorrow certainly will be. Until then, we will have to endure and persevere,” he told the MPs.
For now, the episode marks another significant chapter in the continuing battle for the legacy of Shiv Sena and Bal Thackeray.
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