Shinde declares Operation Tiger a complete success.
Shinde says, “We never leave operations incomplete,” as all six Shiv Sena UBT MPs prepare to merge.
Operation Tiger Shiv Sena: Shinde Declares Mission Complete as UBT MPs Prepare to Switch
A Political Earthquake in Maharashtra
Political defections are nothing new in Maharashtra.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Sunday, June 21, that “Operation Tiger” had succeeded. He didn’t elaborate much on the name itself, but the timing made the meaning obvious to anyone watching Maharashtra politics closely.
“Those who know me, know that we do not leave any operation incomplete,” Shinde said, a line that carries weight given his own history of pulling off a massive split within Shiv Sena back in 2022.
What Operation Tiger Actually Means
Two MPs Confirm the Move
The clearest signal came from two sitting Lok Sabha members of Shiv Sena (UBT), Uddhav Thackeray’s faction.
Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, the MP from Hingoli, and Omraje Nimbalkar, the MP from Dharashiv, both confirmed on Sunday that they’re set to join Shinde’s camp.
Their reasoning wasn’t really about ideology. It came down to something far more practical: development funds. Both leaders said their constituencies were struggling without proper financial support, and they felt cut off from the resources needed to deliver on promises made to voters.
Bad Blood Played a Role Too
Ashtikar didn’t stop at funding complaints. He also pointed fingers at Shiv Sena UBT’s senior leadership, accusing them of speaking poorly about him and his colleagues.
“Till June 18, we had not taken any decision,” he said, suggesting things moved fast in just the final few days before the announcement.
All Six MPs Reportedly On Board
Here’s where the story gets bigger. While only two MPs spoke publicly, sources inside Shiv Sena told The Hindu that all six Lok Sabha MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) have already signed a letter to form a separate group.
That’s not a small detail. Six MPs walking away at once would represent a near-total collapse of UBT’s presence in the Lok Sabha.
Meeting the Speaker
According to the same sources, the group has already met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, a procedural step that’s typically required before any formal party split or merger gets recognized.
A senior Shiv Sena leader told The Hindu that the merger process hit a few last-minute snags. “There were quite a few obstacles at the last minute. But we have successfully overcome them,” the leader said.
That last line matters. It suggests this wasn’t just a Shiv Sena operation working alone. The BJP’s central leadership appears to have played a backing role in pushing things across the finish line.
Numbers That Tell the Story
- 6 total Lok Sabha MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT)
- 2 MPs who have gone public so far: Ashtikar (Hingoli) and Nimbalkar (Dharashiv)
- A few days, the gap between June 18, when Ashtikar says no decision had been made, and June 21, when the announcement came
That short window says a lot about how quickly political alignments can shift once the right pressure points are found.
Shiv Sena (UBT) has already been fighting an uphill battle to hold its ground since the original 2022 split. Losing all six of its Lok Sabha MPs, if that’s really what’s happening, would be another massive blow to Uddhav Thackeray’s effort to rebuild the party’s base.
For Shinde, this isn’t just a political win. It’s personal validation. He’s framing it as proof that he finishes what he starts, a direct response to critics who’ve questioned his long-term staying power since splitting from Thackeray years ago.
What Comes Next
The formal merger process will likely take a bit more time, especially with paperwork before the Speaker’s office and internal party procedures to follow.
Operation Tiger, whatever its exact origin or planning looked like, has clearly landed its target. Whether Uddhav Thackeray’s camp can recover from this latest setback is the question Maharashtra politics will be watching closely in the days ahead.