What is Operation Tiger? The MP ‘rebellion’ rocking Shiv Sena-UBT and Maharashtra politics

AMid the growing split up within the Trinamool united states congress (TMC) in due west Bengal, where several renegade MLAs and MPs feature distanced themselves from party chief Mamata Banerjee, a fresh political storm appears to be brewing in Maharashtra.What is Operation TigerFor the past two days, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has been holding a series of meetings with its nine Lok Sabha MPs amid fears that the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena may attempt to poach at least six of them under what is being dubbed "Operation Tiger". Notably, the tiger was the symbol and mascot of the undivided Shiv Sena, drawn by party founder Bal Thackeray.Leaders of the Shiv Sena (Shinde) have claimed that six MPs from the rival Shiv Sena (UBT) are likely to form a separate group and submit a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. According to Sena insiders who spoke to Hindustan Times, the breakaway faction could subsequently merge with the Shinde Sena's Lok Sabha unit.Also Read | After TMC, Uddhav Thackeray camp seems headed towards a Parliament splitAn HT reporter earlier reported that the six MPs likely to form a breakaway group are Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim), Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli), Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv) and Sanjay Patil (Mumbai North East). However, these claims could not be independently verified.On Sunday, Uddhav had called a meeting of his party MPs. While MPs Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, Waje and Patil attended the meeting in person, Nimbalkar, Wakchaure, Ashtikar and Deshmukh were present online. Sanjay Jadhav, spoke to Thackeray over the phone, party leader Sanjay Raut had said.However, on Wednesday afternoon, Patil denied speculation about joining the rival camp and asserted that he had no plans to quit his party."I have already clarified in the past that I am not joining any other party and am very much in Mumbai today. I will also attend the party's meeting scheduled for Thursday in New Delhi," Patil told Hindustan Times."I have neither received any offer nor been approached by any party or political leader," he added.Also Read |₹50 crore’: Sanjay Raut's big claim amid Shiv Sena-UBT rebellion buzz"> ‘MPs promised ₹50 crore’: Sanjay Raut's big claim amid Shiv Sena-UBT rebellion buzzRaut launches attack on rebel MPsMeanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut launched a scathing attack on party leaders allegedly involved in defection talks. He claimed that some of them once "didn't even have the means to travel by rickshaw" but are now flying in private jets because of the political stature they gained under Uddhav Thackeray.Addressing a press conference in Delhi alongside party MPs Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai, Raut warned that the people of Maharashtra would not remain silent if elected representatives betrayed the mandate. Raut also hurled abuses at party rebel MPs, asking the media not to cut out his comments."If anyone wants to go, they can resign and leave. If such reports emerge about our MPs, they should publicly refute them. This time, the people of Maharashtra will not remain silent," Raut said.In a post on X, Raut alleged that a chartered aircraft had landed at Nanded Airport as part of "Operation Tiger" to ferry away two MPs, referring to ongoing rumours of defections from the Uddhav Thackeray-led party."A chartered plane lands at Nanded Airport. Under the guise of Operation Tiger, it picks up two MPs and takes off. They didn't have the means to even travel by rickshaw. Thanks to Thackeray's name, their worth has risen to the level of flying in private jets," Raut wrote. He further warned that those abandoning the party would be held accountable."Every action will be accounted for. The escape of cowardly foxes has been thwarted. Why Operation Tiger, you ask?" Raut said in his post.Raut also alleged that some MPs were being lured with massive financial inducements to switch sides.Rebel MPs have been promised ₹50 crore, claims Raut"I received a call from an important person. He told me that MPs have been promised ₹50 crore, with ₹15 crore being paid in advance. MPs are being bought in Maharashtra," Raut alleged during a press conference attended by Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje.According to reports, Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje are among the few Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs who continue to firmly back Uddhav Thackeray. The three leaders, along with Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, also met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.BJP distances itself from Op TigerThe BJP has distanced itself from the alleged operation. Maharashtra Revenue Minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, "The BJP has nothing to do with Operation Tiger. We do not know anything about it."A new twist after Sanjay Patil clarifcationPatil's denial has significantly weakened the prospects of any rebellion. Under the anti-defection law, at least six of Shiv Sena (UBT)'s nine Lok Sabha MPs would need to break away together to constitute the required two-thirds of the parliamentary party and avoid disqualification. If even one MP backs out, the rebels would fall short of the threshold, jeopardising any plans for a formal split.(With inputs from agencies, Shailesh Gaikwad and Faisal Malik)