Eknath Shinde slams Uddhav Thackeray: 'Loyalty matters more than a flight'
Synopsis
A routine coincidence on a Mumbai-Nagpur flight became Maharashtra's sharpest political flashpoint of the week. Uddhav Thackeray hinted at a 'high-level discussion' with CM Fadnavis mid-air; Eknath Shinde fired back with a proverb, a 2019 betrayal reference, and a pointed jab at Thackeray's 'Operation Tiger' damage-control tour — all before the aircraft had barely landed.
Key Takeaways
Eknath Shinde rebuked Uddhav Thackeray on 27 June , saying 'loyalty matters more than a flight.' The row stems from a coincidental encounter between Thackeray and CM Devendra Fadnavis on the 6:30 pm Mumbai-Nagpur flight on 26 June .
Insiders confirmed no political discussions took place; Thackeray's claim of a 'high-level discussion' was disputed by both sides' sources.
Shinde mocked Thackeray's tour of constituencies of six MPs who defected under 'Operation Tiger,' calling it too little, too late.
Shinde also addressed the pending Guardian Minister appointment for Raigad district , with Bharat Gogawale reportedly the frontrunner.
Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde launched a sharp political counterattack on Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on 27 June, dismissing Thackeray's claims of a 'high-level discussion' with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis aboard a Mumbai-Nagpur flight as political theatre. The remarks came after a chance in-flight encounter on 26 June between Thackeray and Fadnavis ignited a fresh round of political sparring in Maharashtra.
What Sparked the Row
Thackeray, who was travelling to Nagpur alongside Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray to begin a regional tour, crossed paths with CM Fadnavis aboard the 6:30 pm flight from Mumbai on Friday evening, 26 June. Fadnavis was returning to Nagpur after attending an event in Pune. According to insiders, the encounter was entirely coincidental — the two sides exchanged pleasantries and parted ways upon landing, with no substantive political or personal discussions taking place.
CM Fadnavis reportedly quipped in good humour that the three of them coming together was 'the biggest news of the day.' Thackeray, however, chose to frame the encounter differently — suggesting during his ongoing tour of Yavatmal that a 'high-level discussion' had occurred and that details would emerge soon.
Shinde's Blistering Rebuttal
Shinde was unsparing in his response. 'Loyalty matters more than a flight,' he said, adding that 'they committed betrayal in 2019.' He argued that the people of Maharashtra had given Thackeray's group the opportunity to travel in the same political aircraft — a reference to the original BJP-Sena alliance — but they chose instead to 'board the sinking ship of the Congress.'
'Now that they are drowning, they are trying to stay afloat with such statements,' Shinde said, adding that Fadnavis was 'highly astute' and not easily misled. He also drew on personal experience, stating that he had witnessed firsthand in 2019 'just how dangerous a deceitful friend can be.'
Operation Tiger and the Damage Control Tour
Shinde also took aim at Thackeray's ongoing tour of constituencies belonging to six MPs who recently defected to Shinde's faction under what has been dubbed 'Operation Tiger.' He mocked the timing of Thackeray's outreach, comparing it to arriving after a wedding procession has already passed. He invoked a Hindi proverb — 'Jo haud se gayi, woh boond se nahi aati' (What is lost in bulk cannot be recovered in drops) — to underscore his point about the futility of Thackeray's Yavatmal-Washim and Dharashiv tours.
Raigad Guardian Minister and Other Remarks
Speaking on the sidelines of the Shiv Rajyabhishek Sohala (coronation anniversary) at Raigad Fort, Shinde also addressed the long-pending appointment of the Guardian Minister for Raigad district. He assured that an announcement would be made 'very soon,' invoking the blessings of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as he addressed the gathering. Reports indicate that senior Shiv Sena leader and Minister Bharat Gogawale is the frontrunner for the Raigad responsibility.
With Maharashtra's political landscape still unsettled after years of alliance shifts and factional battles, the flight episode — however incidental — has become the latest flashpoint in a rivalry that shows no signs of cooling.
Point of View
While rhetorically sharp, reveals his own anxiety: you don't spend this much energy on a rival who no longer matters. The real story is not what happened on the flight but what the intensity of this exchange says about how fiercely both factions are fighting over the same Maratha voter base ahead of the next electoral cycle.
NationPress
27 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on the Mumbai-Nagpur flight on 26 June?
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis coincidentally found themselves on the same 6:30 pm Mumbai-Nagpur flight on 26 June. Insiders from both sides confirmed it was a chance meeting involving only pleasantries, with no substantive political discussion taking place.
Why did Eknath Shinde attack Uddhav Thackeray over the flight?
Shinde reacted to Thackeray's suggestion that a 'high-level discussion' had occurred during the flight, which Shinde dismissed as spin. He used the occasion to revive the 2019 betrayal narrative and mock Thackeray's ongoing tour of constituencies where six MPs had defected to Shinde's faction under 'Operation Tiger.'
What is 'Operation Tiger' in Maharashtra politics?
'Operation Tiger' refers to the reported defection of six MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) to Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction. Thackeray has since been touring those constituencies in what observers describe as a damage-control exercise.
Who is the frontrunner for Raigad's Guardian Minister post?
Senior Shiv Sena leader and Minister Bharat Gogawale is reportedly the frontrunner for the Guardian Minister position in Raigad district, according to reports. Shinde, speaking at Raigad Fort during the Shiv Rajyabhishek Sohala, said an announcement would be made 'very soon.'
What did CM Devendra Fadnavis say during the flight encounter?
CM Fadnavis reportedly quipped in good humour that the three of them — himself, Uddhav Thackeray, and Aaditya Thackeray — coming together was 'the biggest news of the day.' Beyond that remark, sources confirmed no political discussions took place during the flight.
