Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 18 (ANI): The political landscape in Maharashtra is reeling under the tremors of a potential second split within the Shiv Sena, as the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) faction grapples with a deepening internal revolt.
Amid ‘Operation Tiger’, a mass defection of UBT parliamentarians to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has pushed the party to the brink, manifesting in open hostility, missing MPs, and threats of legal action.
The crisis reached a flashpoint on Thursday in New Delhi, when a mandatory parliamentary party meeting convened by party leadership saw a stark display of division.
Out of the party’s nine Lok Sabha MPs, only three–Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, and Rajabhau Waje–attended the meeting called by party whips. The remaining six–Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, and Bhausaheb Wakchaure–remained conspicuously absent.
In response, the UBT faction moved swiftly to assert authority. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut announced that show-cause notices have been issued to the six absentees, initiating the formal process for their disqualification from the Lower House.
“The process for taking action has started,” Raut declared during a press conference. “We will make every effort to get them disqualified. If the Speaker of the Lok Sabha works according to the rules, the law, and the Supreme Court’s directives, these people will be disqualified.”
The buzz surrounding “Operation Tiger” gained significant momentum after Shiv Sena MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi claimed that six MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) have expressed confidence in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and have already joined his faction.
“Operation Tiger has taken place in Maharashtra. Today, six MPs expressed their confidence in Eknath Shinde and have joined Shiv Sena. It is good that they joined us. I welcome them,” he said, adding that those willing to work for development should align with the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance and asserting ideological continuity with Balasaheb Thackeray’s vision.
Supporting the narrative of a possible realignment, Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav also indicated that political developments are underway and said the matter rests with constitutional authorities. Referring to internal communication by MPs, he said, “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 further added, “Tomorrow is Shiv Sena’s foundation day and those who believe in Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology will attend,” in an apparent reference to the Shinde-led faction. Jadhav also criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, saying, “The kind of language he uses is leading to the destruction of Shiv Sena (UBT).”
The UBT leadership, however, has vehemently dismissed these claims as media-driven fabrications.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Rajabhau Parag Prakash Waje rejected any suggestion of defection, stating, “I don’t know anything about it. I have cleared my stand at the meeting, that I am with Uddhav Thackeray and will always be.”
Along the same line, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Desai also dismissed the entire speculation, saying there is no substance in reports of a split. “It doesn’t hold any water, but the media has blown it out of proportion,” he said, adding, “Whatever conjectures are being played in the media, we have already rubbished it. I don’t think that is going to happen.”
Reinforcing the denial, Desai said Uddhav Thackeray is closely monitoring the situation and remains in constant touch with party MPs and leadership. The party also maintained that internal coordination remains intact and no organisational breakdown has occurred.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Raut has adopted a defiant and aggressive posture, labelling the defectors as “traitors” and “dishonest.” He said, “Jo aayenge wo hamare, nahi aayenge wo beimaan-gaddar” (those who attend are ours, those who don’t are dishonest and traitors).
Raut further escalated his attack, alleging attempts to destabilise the party using money, power and pressure tactics. He asserted unwavering loyalty to Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy and said the party is prepared to face legal and political battles.
Raut’s frequent use of vitriolic language has become a focal point of the conflict. Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav criticised Raut’s rhetoric, stating that the “kind of language he uses is leading to the destruction of Shiv Sena (UBT).”
Jadhav underscored that the validity of any move by the MPs now rests solely with the Lok Sabha Speaker, while hinting that the upcoming Foundation Day celebrations will showcase who the “true” followers of Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology really are.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, on the other hand, said it would not be appropriate to respond to Raut’s remarks, adding that every MP functions in their own way and for their constituencies. He further said Parliament requires cooperation from all members and declined to comment on internal party disputes, stating that reacting to “abuses or blame” would not be right.
From outside the party, Congress leader Husain Dalwai said that any MP intending to switch sides must resign and seek a fresh mandate. “If you want to join the BJP, resign and get elected on a BJP ticket,” he said, adding that switching parties after being elected violates political ethics and voter trust.
The AIMIM leadership also weighed in, with Asaduddin Owaisi taking a jibe at the UBT faction’s inability to manage its internal affairs. Owaisi questioned the ease of defections in Indian politics, asking, “Why are large-scale defections to the BJP so easy? Why are all these people running away?” He added that opposition parties cannot blame a single leader for systemic failures and remarked, “Shikari naya hai, jal puraana hai…”
Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit also strongly criticised the developments, calling them a “huge tragedy” and a “disgusting and low blow on democracy.” He said it was alarming that MPs were joining a relatively unknown political entity and alleged that voters had been misled.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also alleged that the BJP is “weaponising state machinery” and undermining democratic institutions, saying central agencies are being used to create a “climate of fear” against the Opposition. She further accused the ruling party of eroding constitutional norms and said the BJP “will have to defend” its political conduct and use of power.
As the party prepares for its Foundation Day on June 19, the tension remains palpable. With the UBT faction banking on disqualification proceedings to halt the bleed and the Shinde-led faction claiming a momentum-shifting victory, the future of the Sena’s parliamentary strength hangs in the balance.
Whether the Speaker recognises the rebels as a legitimate breakaway or stays the hand of the UBT leadership will determine if “Operation Tiger” becomes the final blow to the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction’s national presence.
The 2022 split in the Shiv Sena was a watershed moment in Maharashtra politics that fundamentally altered the state’s governance and the party’s organisational structure. It saw the party divided into two primary factions: those loyal to Uddhav Thackeray and those led by current Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The rebels cited a shift in the party’s core values, specifically arguing that Uddhav Thackeray’s alignment with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition–comprising the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)–betrayed the party’s foundational Hindutva ideology.
The ensuing legal and political battle for the “soul” of the Shiv Sena played out in several arenas. Following the rebellion, the Thackeray-led government faced a floor test ordered by the Governor. Rather than face the test, Uddhav Thackeray resigned as Chief Minister on June 29, 2022.
In February 2023, the Election Commission of India (ECI) delivered a landmark ruling. Based on the strength of the legislative wing (the number of MLAs and MPs supporting the faction), the ECI recognised the Shinde-led faction as the “real” Shiv Sena and allotted it the party’s traditional “bow and arrow” symbol.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction challenged this decision in the Supreme Court, arguing that the legislative majority should not override the party’s organisational structure. The legal proceedings raised complex constitutional questions regarding the 10th Schedule (anti-defection law), the powers of the Speaker versus the Supreme Court, and the role of the Governor in party splits.
Following the ECI ruling, the faction led by Uddhav Thackeray adopted the name Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and was assigned a new symbol (the flaming torch, or mashaal) to distinguish it from the Shinde-led party.
The 2022 split essentially dismantled the unified Shiv Sena that had been the cornerstone of Maharashtra politics since Bal Thackeray founded it in 1966. For the UBT camp, the struggle since 2022 has been to retain the party’s grassroots identity and political relevance in the face of dwindling parliamentary and legislative numbers, while the Shinde faction has consolidated its position as a major partner within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). (ANI)
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