'Operation Tiger': 6 UBT MPs have already joined Eknath Shinde's camp, Shiv Sena neta drops bombshell

DHULE: Amid growing speculation over "Operation Tiger" and a possible split in Shiv Sena (UBT), Shiv Sena former MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi on Thursday claimed that six MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led party had expressed faith in deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and joined his faction, according to news agency ANI.Speaking to reporters in Dhule, Raghuvanshi said the much-discussed "Operation Tiger" had materialised in Maharashtra. "Six MPs have expressed their confidence in Eknath Shinde and joined Shiv Sena. I welcome them," he said.Raghuvanshi argued that leaders seeking to serve people and undertake development work should align with the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance. He said the MPs had chosen Shinde's leadership because they believed it best reflected the ideology of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.The remarks come amid reports that a majority of Shiv Sena (UBT)'s nine Lok Sabha MPs are in touch with the Shinde-led Sena, raising the possibility of another split in the party, four years after the 2022 rebellion that divided the organisation.Meanwhile, union minister Prataprao Jadhav took a swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, alleging that the Rajya Sabha MP's style of politics and rhetoric was contributing to the weakening of the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction.Commenting on reports surrounding "Operation Tiger" and a letter submitted by Sena (UBT) MPs, Jadhav said the matter was now before Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. "Whatever letter the MPs have given is an internal matter of Shiv Sena (UBT). The Lok Sabha Speaker will take a decision on it," he said.With Shiv Sena's foundation day scheduled for June 19, Jadhav also said that those committed to Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology would participate in the celebrations, in a remark seen as directed at the Shinde-led faction.(With ANI inputs)