In a significant political development in Maharashtra, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena carried out “Operation Tiger” on Monday, causing a split within Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT). Six Lok Sabha Members of Parliament (MPs) from the UBT group have officially shifted allegiance to the Shinde faction.
This move has resulted in Shiv Sena UBT’s Lok Sabha strength decreasing from nine to three, while the Shinde camp’s count has surged from seven to thirteen members. The remaining loyalists with Uddhav Thackeray include Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, and Rajabhau Waje.
The rift within the party became apparent when six out of the nine UBT MPs skipped a crucial parliamentary party meeting in Delhi. These rebel MPs have now formally requested recognition as a separate group by sending a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, thereby avoiding disqualification under the anti-defection law.
Nagesh Ashtikar and Omraje Nimbalkar, two of the rebel MPs, highlighted that their constituencies suffered from a lack of development funds due to being in the Opposition for two years. They expressed concerns over the restrictive nature of the MPLAD scheme and the impact of surviving without state-funded support on their grassroots influence.
Omraje Nimbalkar’s decision to defect followed a court acquittal in his father’s murder case. He mentioned that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis facilitated a discussion with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, ensuring that the CBI would challenge the verdict.
Uddhav Thackeray has initiated a statewide campaign to address the situation, starting from the rebels’ constituencies. He accused the defectors of betraying their values post-election. The move by the rebel UBT MPs to join the Shinde faction reinforces their claim as the true successors of Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy.
