In another setback for Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), party MLC Sachin Ahir has switched sides and joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction. Soon after joining the Shinde faction, Ahir filed his nomination for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council as the Shiv Sena candidate. The latest induction has once again brought focus on Eknath Shinde's political strategy, often referred to as "Operation Tiger", under which the party has continued to attract leaders from rival political outfits, particularly the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).
Days after six UBT Lok Sabha MPs crossed over
The latest development comes just days after six Lok Sabha MPs from the Shiv Sena (UBT) switched allegiance to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena in one of the biggest political setbacks for the Uddhav Thackeray camp since the party split.
The six MPs had skipped an important parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi just five days before formally joining the Shinde faction. Their absence reduced the attendance at the meeting to only three remaining Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs, highlighting the scale of the political crisis within the party.
The leaders who joined the Shinde faction are Sanjay Deshmukh from Yavatmal, Sanjay Jadhav from Parbhani, Sanjay Dina Patil from Mumbai North East, Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar from Hingoli, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar from Dharashiv and Bhausaheb Wakchaure from Shirdi.
Shinde declares 'Operation Tiger' a success
The rebel MPs formally joined the Shiv Sena during an event held at the Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan in south Mumbai in the presence of party president Eknath Shinde and other senior leaders. Addressing the gathering, Shinde described the defecting MPs as experienced leaders with a strong grassroots connect.
"My operations are fool proof. Operation Tiger is now complete and successful," said Shinde while referring to the six defected MPs as Dhurandhars (stalwarts/experts) who are connected to the ground. The term "Operation Tiger" has been widely used to describe the Shinde faction's efforts to engineer defections from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and bring elected representatives into its camp.
Political significance of the defections
The six rebel MPs had won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by defeating candidates of the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Their decision to join the Shinde-led party is expected to further alter the political scenario in Maharashtra.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Shiv Sena (UBT) had secured nine parliamentary seats in the state. With six of those MPs having joined the Shinde camp, the balance of power within the Sena has shifted significantly. The latest developments are also expected to strengthen Eknath Shinde's bargaining position within the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP and the NCP (Ajit Pawar).
