Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde has relaunched 'Operation Tiger' in a bid to poach Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs, said sources on Friday. The development comes ahead of the Legislative Council elections in Maharashtra which will likely be held later this month or in May, in which former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is seeking another term.
According to sources, Shinde also met several MPs of the UBT on Wednesday evening. However, the UBT has refused such claims and asserted that all of party's MPs are united, with senior leader Sanjay Raut saying that if Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis wants to play a "bigger role in Delhi", then he should stop this low-level politics.
"All MPs of Shiv Sena (UBT) are united. Whoever has put out such news is being ridiculous. Tomorrow, they might even take my name and that of Aaditya Thackeray and claim that we are joining Shinde. All our nine MPs are united," Raut said.
Speculations about Shinde launching 'Operation Tiger' were rife in March, when the deputy chief minister went to New Delhi and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. During his visit to the national capital, he also held a closed-door meeting with Shiv Sena MPs.
As per reports, Shinde aims to poach all nine UBT's Lok Sabha MPs to his side to weaken Thackeray. Many UBT leaders were recently also seen at a dinner hosted by Sena MP and Union MoS Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav. Although the leaders had said that they attended the dinner only after being asked by Jadhav to participate in it.
As of now, the Shiv Sena has seven MPs in the Lok Sabha. If the nine UBT MPs come to Shinde's side, then the tally would rise to 16, and would further help in strengthening the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and also his Shiv Sena's position in the alliance.
The Shinde Sena has stressed that the party does not need Operation Tiger; though it said several opposition leaders are in touch with it. "I can’t say about Thackeray or Shiv Sena (UBT) but surely some Congress MLAs are in touch with us... there is nothing to hide," said Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant last month.
