{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "'Operation Tiger' in Maharashtra: 7 of Uddhav Thackeray's MPs Said to Be in Touch With Shinde Camp, Delhi Meet With Speaker Om Birla Likely on Wednesday",
  "summary": "Six to seven Lok Sabha MPs of Shiv Sena (UBT) are reportedly preparing to switch to Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena. These MPs may meet Speaker Om Birla in Delhi on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting.",
  "content": "Maharashtra's politics is heating up once again, and this time the spotlight is on Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT). Murmurs of a fresh, major split inside the party are growing louder, with claims that most of Uddhav's Lok Sabha MPs are getting ready to join Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena. In political circles, the entire exercise has been nicknamed 'Operation Tiger'.\n\nWhat is unfolding\nAccording to sources, 7 of the 9 Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs are on the verge of joining the Shinde faction. Six to seven MPs from the Uddhav camp are said to be fully prepared to cross over and could move to the Shinde side very soon. As part of this, a crucial meeting of these MPs is reportedly being planned in Delhi on Wednesday.\n\nWednesday morning meet, followed by a visit to the Speaker\nInformation available with TrendKia suggests that these MPs of the Uddhav Thackeray group (UBT) will gather at Shrikant Shinde's Delhi residence at around 8:30 am on Wednesday. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Shrikant Shinde are also expected to be present at the meeting. It is believed that once the meeting concludes, the MPs will head straight to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.\n\nSources claim the strategy is clear. The MPs will first complete the formal process of forming a separate group in the Lok Sabha, and this group will then be merged with the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde.\n\nThe names making the rounds\nThere is talk that 6 MPs of the Uddhav Thackeray group (UBT) are in regular contact with the Shinde Shiv Sena. The names being mentioned are as follows:\n\n• Sanjay Dina Patil\n• Sanjay Deshmukh\n• Nagesh Patil Ashtikar\n• Omraj Nimbalkar\n• Bhausaheb Wakchaure\n• Sanjay Jadhav\n\nApart from these, the name of Rajabhau Waje is also part of this discussion.\n\nKesarkar's claim: several MPs will join Shinde\nShinde faction leader Deepak Kesarkar, speaking to TrendKia, claimed that many of Uddhav Thackeray's MPs will come over to Eknath Shinde, and that one only has to wait a few days for it. Kesarkar said several public representatives want to align with Shinde so they can carry out development work in their own constituencies.\n\nHe also said that every MP and MLA in the Shiv Sena practises Bala Saheb's Hindutva politics. Given that, he argued, all those MPs who are in touch with him will end up in this camp.\n\nUddhav scrambles to hold his party together\nSensing the threat of his party splitting for a second time, Uddhav Thackeray has also swung into action. After the MPs, he is now set to call a meeting of his MLAs on the 22nd in a bid to head off any possible revolt.\n\nHow strong is Uddhav's numbers game\nLooking at the figures, Uddhav's party Shiv Sena (UBT) has a total of 10 MPs, of which 9 are in the Lok Sabha and 1 is in the Rajya Sabha. The Shinde faction claims that 7 of these 9 Lok Sabha MPs are in contact with it, meaning two-thirds of the MPs want to move to the Shinde camp.\n\nThe Shinde faction has made a big claim about the MLAs too. According to it, 16 of the 20 MLAs of the Uddhav Sena are also in touch, which is more than two-thirds. If these MPs and MLAs do indeed switch sides, it will be the second time in five years that Uddhav Thackeray's party faces a major split.\n\nWhat this means for you\n• Across India: A possible split in Shiv Sena (UBT) could reshape Maharashtra's balance of power and opposition arithmetic, with knock-on effects on state policy and upcoming elections.\n• In Maharashtra: Voters in the constituencies of the MPs and MLAs said to be switching could directly feel the impact as their representatives change camps and the direction of local development shifts.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. What is 'Operation Tiger'?\nIt is the name given to the alleged exercise of bringing Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs into Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena.\n\n2. Whom will the MPs meet on Wednesday, and where?\nAccording to sources, the MPs will meet at Shrikant Shinde's Delhi residence at around 8:30 am on Wednesday and may then meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.\n\n3. How many MPs does Uddhav Thackeray have?\nShiv Sena (UBT) has a total of 10 MPs, of which 9 are in the Lok Sabha and 1 in the Rajya Sabha. The Shinde faction claims 7 of the 9 Lok Sabha MPs are in contact with it.\n\n4. What step is Uddhav Thackeray taking now?\nTo save his party from splitting, Uddhav Thackeray is set to call a meeting of his MLAs on the 22nd.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/politics/maharashtra-men-pareshana-taigara-uddhava-thakare-ke-7-sansada-shinde-guta-ke-sn-1322",
  "category": "Politics",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-16",
  "tags": [
    "Shiv Sena UBT",
    "Uddhav Thackeray",
    "Eknath Shinde",
    "Operation Tiger",
    "Om Birla",
    "Maharashtra politics",
    "Deepak Kesarkar",
    "Lok Sabha MPs"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}