Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and chief of Shiv Sena, on Monday, 22 June declared 'Operation Tiger' a complete legal success after six Lok Sabha MPs from the rival Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction formally joined his party at a press conference in Mumbai. The crossover, Shinde asserted, was executed strictly within legal, constitutional, and parliamentary frameworks — and marks what he called Phase Two of his June 2022 political uprising.

The Six MPs Who Crossed Over

The defecting legislators are Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North East), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim), Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi), Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv), and Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar (Hingoli). Their departure reduces Uddhav Thackeray's parliamentary camp from nine MPs to three, while Shinde's Lok Sabha strength climbs from seven to thirteen.

The Anti-Defection Angle

Crucially, the defecting bloc constitutes a two-thirds majority of the UBT parliamentary group — the threshold required under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution to escape disqualification under the anti-defection law. By meeting this bar, the six MPs are expected to avoid the kind of legal jeopardy that has shadowed earlier political splits in Maharashtra. Shinde was emphatic on this point: 'We don't do incomplete operations. Operation Tiger is a resounding legal success. We have completed all the necessary legal formalities for this.'

Shinde's Political Framing

Shinde positioned the development as a continuation of the June 2022 rebellion in which he led a group of MLAs out of the undivided Shiv Sena, eventually splitting the party and claiming the original name and the bow-and-arrow election symbol. 'Four years ago, 40 MLAs came along to save the Shiv Sena, to protect the bow-and-arrow symbol, and to safeguard Balasaheb Thackeray's thoughts. Critics said those 40 would never win again, but 40 became 60 MLAs. From Chaanda to Banda, Shiv Sena grew,' he said. He added that all six MPs would contest the 2029 general elections on the bow-and-arrow symbol.

Shinde also took a pointed jab at UBT strategist Sanjay Raut, noting that his faction now has three MPs named Sanjay: 'With this combined strength, our Shiv Sena will become unbreakable.' He praised Sanjay Jadhav and Sanjay Deshmukh as grassroots leaders and defended Omraje Nimbalkar against social media criticism, calling him a 'Real Star.'

Why the MPs Said They Left

The defecting MPs cited a lack of development funds and an inability to deliver on civic and infrastructure promises while sitting in opposition as their primary reasons for switching sides. Shinde assured them that resource allocation would be a priority under the ruling 'double-engine' alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 'Whether your issues are tied to the state or require backing from the Central Government in Delhi, nothing will be stalled. Your trust will never be betrayed,' he said.

He also criticised the Thackeray camp's internal management: 'They routinely abuse their own MPs and then expect them to stay. There is a serious chemical locha (mental glitch) in how they treat their leaders.'

What Comes Next

Shinde concluded by stating that Shiv Sena functions as a collaborative organisation without a singular authority, and that the party's immediate priority would be strengthening its presence across Maharashtra ahead of future electoral cycles. The UBT faction, now reduced to three Lok Sabha MPs, faces a significantly diminished parliamentary footprint — and the broader Maharashtra political equation tilts further in favour of the ruling Mahayuti alliance.