All 9 Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Summoned to Matoshree as 'Operation Tiger' Buzz Rattles Uddhav Thackeray's Camp

Amid talk that 7 of its MPs are in touch with Eknath Shinde, Uddhav Thackeray has called all 9 Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs to Matoshree on Sunday. The 'Operation Tiger' speculation has set off fresh tremors in Maharashtra politics.

Maharashtra's political pot is bubbling again, and this time all eyes are fixed on Matoshree. After weeks of chatter around West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, the spotlight has now swung to Shiv Sena (UBT). Party chief Uddhav Thackeray has directed all 9 of his MPs to report to Matoshree on Sunday — a gathering being read against the backdrop of speculation around a political exercise dubbed 'Operation Tiger'.

Routine huddle or sign of trouble?
On the surface this may look like an ordinary organisational review, but in political circles it is being tied to the unease building inside the party and the possibility of a split. According to sources, reports that 7 Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs are in contact with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde have set off alarm bells within the leadership. That is precisely why Thackeray has called in every single MP without exception. Those unable to attend in person will be looped in through video conferencing.

The seriousness of the moment is best understood against 2022, when the Shiv Sena split down the middle under Eknath Shinde's leadership. Ever since that upheaval, keeping the organisation united has been a constant test for Uddhav Thackeray. In such a climate, even hints of discontent or back-channel contact at the MP level carry far heavier political weight.

Sanjay Raut dismisses the chatter
The party leadership is publicly brushing aside the speculation. Senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut described the meeting as part of the party's routine functioning. Just as MLAs are convened from time to time, he argued, it is only natural for MPs to be brought together for organisational discussions. Raut took a swipe by noting that talk of 'Operation Tiger' has been doing the rounds for the past two years, yet no such campaign has ever actually materialised.

Despite these clarifications, the question lingering in political corridors is simple: if everything is normal, why the sudden need to summon all the MPs at once? Analysts believe the gathering may be less about marking attendance and more about testing the loyalty of the MPs and their commitment to the organisation.

The Shinde camp's stand
On the other side, Eknath Shinde's party has flatly denied running any 'operation', while simultaneously claiming that several leaders from the Uddhav faction remain in touch with it. Shinde faction senior leader and cabinet minister Sanjay Shirsat said no 'Operation Tiger' is being run from their end, but several Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders and MPs are indeed in contact with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over development works and other matters. Shirsat made it clear that if the question of any leader or MP joining the party arises in future, the final call will rest with party chief Eknath Shinde alone.

A test of Uddhav's leadership
Reacting to the developments, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey hit out at the BJP and the Mahayuti government. He pointed out that talk of 'Operation Tiger' has been heard since 2024 and asked why a government with a full majority would need to break opposition parties at all.

Given the upheavals Maharashtra politics has witnessed over the past few years, no rumour can be dismissed out of hand. That is why the Matoshree meeting is no longer just an organisational exercise — it is being viewed as a test of Uddhav Thackeray's grip on the leadership and of his MPs' unity. The coming days will reveal whether 'Operation Tiger' is merely a political rumour or the prelude to a new equation in Maharashtra politics.

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