Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Tuesday, 23 June launched a blistering attack on the ruling MahaYuti alliance in Maharashtra, accusing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of dragging the state back by 25 years and damaging its reputation — a day after six rebel Sena (UBT) MPs crossed over to the Shinde camp in what the ruling side called Operation Tiger.

Saamana Editorial: 'Celebrating Betrayal'

The Thackeray camp's sharpest salvo came through a scathing editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana, which accused the MahaYuti government of turning political defection into Maharashtra's new identity. The editorial charged that Fadnavis chose to publicly celebrate the defection of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs rather than address the state's mounting crises.

'Instead of addressing the burning issues plaguing Maharashtra, Fadnavis chose to gloat over the defection of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs, declaring that the operation 'treachery' was successful and the patient is doing well,' the editorial stated. It went on to mockingly describe Shinde as having 'given birth to six traitors' — an exercise it claimed cost at least ₹500 crore.

The editorial also took a pointed dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging he was 'distributing sweets in Delhi' over the defections, and demanded that Fadnavis publicly name who the 'real parents' of these defectors are.

Water Crisis, Farmer Distress, and Governance Failures

The Uddhav Sena pointed to what it described as a cascade of administrative failures unfolding even as the ruling alliance celebrated its political coup. It noted that delayed monsoon rains have triggered a severe water scarcity crisis in rural Maharashtra, with fears of large-scale migration and acute fodder shortages for cattle.

Critically, water levels in the seven dams supplying Mumbai have reportedly plummeted to a critical 8.5 per cent, prompting immediate water cuts in the city. The editorial alleged that government funds were being 'showered' on political photo-ops to celebrate the rebel MPs' safe passage, even as farmers and urban residents faced resource shortages.

On agrarian distress, the editorial pressed the government on its stance against loan waivers — noting that while Fadnavis has publicly stated waivers are not a permanent fix, farmers continue to be denied Minimum Support Prices (MSP) and adequate crop insurance. 'Farmers' suicides have not stopped,' the editorial said, adding: 'Today, MLAs and MPs have become the real commodities fetching massive guaranteed prices, while the common farmer is left entirely to fate.'

NEET Scandal, Unemployment, and Ladki Bahin Scheme

The Thackeray camp further alleged that Maharashtra is the epicentre of the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak scandal, claiming those arrested have close ties to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ecosystem — effectively, it argued, destroying the future of the state's youth. The party also highlighted rising unemployment, a deteriorating law-and-order situation, and severe drought conditions across the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.

The Uddhav Sena additionally alleged that the government's flagship 'Ladki Bahin' scheme had proved deceptive, claiming financial assistance to 81 lakh women was discontinued shortly after the elections concluded.

Democracy Under Threat, Opposition Demands

In a broader indictment of democratic functioning, the editorial flagged that both Houses of the Maharashtra Legislature are currently operating without a Leader of the Opposition. It alleged the ruling alliance has deliberately delayed these appointments to shield itself from scrutiny on the floor of the House — describing the situation as an unprecedented blow to democratic accountability in the state.

The Thackeray camp has also demanded that the Assembly session be adjourned until Fadnavis formally responds to the Opposition's concerns. The editorial further alleged that a section within the BJP leadership in Delhi is actively encouraging Shinde to challenge Fadnavis's authority — a claim that, if accurate, would signal deepening fault lines within the MahaYuti coalition itself.

With Maharashtra's monsoon session approaching and multiple crises converging, the political temperature in the state is set to rise further.