BJP eyeing numbers to pass Bills by breaking Opposition, says Congress
Synopsis
Congress has turned 'Operation Tiger' — the reported bid to lure Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs — into a national accountability moment, alleging BJP is dismantling the Opposition not for governance but to manufacture the two-thirds majority it needs for stalled bills, including the women's reservation amendment. The charge reframes a Maharashtra political crisis as a Parliament numbers game.
Key Takeaways
Congress accused the BJP of poaching Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs through what is being called 'Operation Tiger' to gain parliamentary numbers.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged BJP needs to pass two to three bills that have so far failed due to lack of support.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill — reserving 33% seats for women — could not secure the required two-thirds majority .
Sachin Pilot said the Opposition remains united under Rahul Gandhi 's leadership despite pressure.
Nana Patole compared the situation to the TMC split in West Bengal , calling it 'opportunism'.
Congress MP Imran Masood alleged the BJP-led Centre is 'suppressing' the voice of the Opposition.
Congress leaders on Wednesday mounted a sharp offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the ruling party is systematically poaching Opposition legislators — including members of the Shiv Sena (UBT) — to manufacture the parliamentary numbers needed to pass stalled legislation. The attack came amid mounting speculation over what political circles have dubbed 'Operation Tiger', reportedly an effort by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena to draw away MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray faction.
What Congress Alleged
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the ruling party was attempting to 'break, manipulate, and bring all regional parties to its side' because it lacked the votes to push through key legislation. He specifically cited two to three bills that have so far failed to clear Parliament for want of adequate support.
Among the bills reportedly in focus is the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which sought to reserve 33 per cent of seats for women in Parliament and also included provisions to expand the strength of the House. The bill could not secure the constitutionally mandated two-thirds majority required for passage.
Leaders Speak Out
Congress leader Sachin Pilot echoed the concern, arguing that the BJP-led government was attempting to assert a majority wherever it lacked one. 'All kinds of efforts are being made to break the unity of the Opposition parties,' he said, adding that he believed the Opposition would remain united under Rahul Gandhi's leadership despite the pressure.
Congress leader Nana Patole took aim at the media framing as well, calling the 'Operation Tiger' label an 'insult to the tiger itself.' He drew a direct parallel with political developments in West Bengal, where the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) witnessed a significant split. 'What happened in West Bengal is being repeated in Maharashtra,' Patole said, describing the manoeuvre as 'a movement driven by opportunism' rather than any principled political realignment.
Congress MP Imran Masood accused the BJP-led Centre of suppressing the Opposition's voice, saying: 'The opposition acts as a mirror for the ruling party, but the government simply does not want to look in it.'
The Maharashtra Angle
The allegations centre on Maharashtra, where the Shiv Sena split in 2022 already handed the Shinde faction control of the party's name and symbol after a Supreme Court battle. A fresh round of defections from the Shiv Sena (UBT) — if it materialises — would further erode the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) bloc's strength in Parliament ahead of key legislative votes.
Broader Pattern and What Is Next
This is not the first time the BJP has faced such charges. Critics have previously pointed to splits in regional parties across states as evidence of a broader strategy to consolidate numbers at the Centre. The BJP has not issued a formal response to Wednesday's allegations. With Parliament's monsoon session approaching, the legislative calendar — and the arithmetic behind it — will remain under close scrutiny.
Point of View
It has strong incentives to engineer one through defections. Congress's framing is politically convenient, but the underlying charge — that the women's reservation bill and similar legislation are being held hostage to floor arithmetic — deserves scrutiny beyond partisan point-scoring. The Shiv Sena split of 2022 set a precedent that the Supreme Court's anti-defection ruling did not fully resolve. If a second wave of defections follows the same template, it will test whether institutional guardrails can hold against organised political pressure.
NationPress
4 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Operation Tiger' in the context of Indian politics?
'Operation Tiger' is the name political circles have given to an alleged effort by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena to draw away MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). Congress has alleged this is part of a broader BJP strategy to poach Opposition legislators and build a parliamentary majority for stalled bills.
Which bills is Congress saying BJP needs extra numbers to pass?
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury referred to two to three bills pending in Parliament, including the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill that sought to reserve 33 per cent of seats for women. That bill failed to secure the constitutionally required two-thirds majority.
What is the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill?
It is a proposed constitutional amendment that aimed to reserve 33 per cent of seats in Parliament for women and also included provisions to expand the House's strength. It requires a two-thirds majority in both Houses for passage, which the government has reportedly not been able to secure.
How does the Maharashtra situation compare to West Bengal, as Congress claimed?
Congress leader Nana Patole drew a parallel with the split in the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, suggesting a similar pattern of political defections is now playing out in Maharashtra with the Shiv Sena (UBT). He described both episodes as driven by opportunism rather than ideology.
Has the BJP responded to Congress's allegations?
As of the reports available, the BJP had not issued a formal response to the specific allegations made by Congress leaders on Wednesday. The monsoon session of Parliament is expected to bring the floor arithmetic and pending legislation back into sharp focus.
