Sanjay Raut mocks Sena-UBT rebel MPs, questions Eknath Shinde's political future
Synopsis
Sanjay Raut's 'insects returning to dung' jibe at Sena-UBT defectors was the sharpest yet — but the bigger signal was Uddhav Thackeray threatening an 'Operation Lotus' counter-strike against the BJP and Shinde camp. With 94 rallies and three-day campaigns now counting for nothing, the Thackeray faction is signalling it will fight fire with fire.
Key Takeaways
Sanjay Raut on 20 June attacked Sena-UBT defectors Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv) and Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli), calling them 'insects returning to dung.' Raut reminded voters that Uddhav Thackeray had addressed 94 rallies and Raut himself campaigned for 3 days in Dharashiv for these very MPs.
Raut questioned Deputy CM Eknath Shinde's political longevity, comparing his transient hold on power to that of Ajit Pawar .
Thackeray apologised to voters in constituencies hit by defections, asserting that 9 Sena-UBT MPs won without riding the Modi wave.
Thackeray warned that if 'Operation Tiger' poaching continues, the party will retaliate with its own 'Operation Lotus.'
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Rajya Sabha MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Saturday, 20 June launched a blistering attack on the party's recent defectors, singling out Dharashiv MP Omraje Nimbalkar and Hingoli MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar for particular criticism. The salvo came a day after Raut had stayed conspicuously silent at the party's foundation day event, marking a sharp shift in posture.
Raut's Attack on the Defectors
Raut dismissed Omraje Nimbalkar as 'completely superficial and pompous,' reminding audiences of the MP's own past pledges of loyalty. He quoted Nimbalkar as having once declared that Uddhav Thackeray had given him a political platform and that he would never abandon him — warning that voters of Dharashiv should 'beat him with footwear' if he ever did. 'Well, what happened now?' Raut asked pointedly.
Raut recalled that he personally campaigned for three days in Dharashiv during the last Lok Sabha elections and that Uddhav Thackeray addressed 94 rallies in support of these very candidates. 'Omraje left, Ashtikar left... let them go. An insect born in dung has simply returned to dung,' he said, in one of his sharpest formulations against the defectors.
Shinde's 'Political Operation' Boast and Raut's Rebuttal
The attack extended to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who at a Nesco Centre rally on Friday had mocked the Thackeray faction by boasting that even without a medical degree, he knew how to perform 'massive political operations' — a pointed reference to engineering the latest round of defections.
Raut hit back by questioning Shinde's political staying power. 'Do you think Eknath Shinde is some legendary leader like Yashwantrao Chavan? He is the deputy Chief Minister today, but he won't be there tomorrow. At one time, Ajit Pawar held immense power, but it didn't last. In politics, Shinde is here today, but he may not be here tomorrow,' Raut remarked.
Thackeray's Apology and Warning
Raut's remarks followed party chief Uddhav Thackeray's address on Friday, in which Thackeray apologised to voters in constituencies where defections had occurred. Thackeray argued that these leaders had won their seats on the strength of the party's grassroots goodwill and not on any individual wave.
'I apologise to the voters of the wards where this betrayal has taken place today. During the Modi wave, people voted for these individuals out of trust in us... nine of our MPs won without using Modi's influence. Why this continuous horse-trading now?' Thackeray said.
Operation Tiger vs Operation Lotus
Thackeray also issued a direct warning to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shinde-led faction over what he described as organised poaching under the label 'Operation Tiger.' He cautioned that if defection attempts continued, he would be compelled to launch a counter-offensive of his own.
'If they keep poaching our MPs or MLAs using 'Operation Tiger,' we too will have to carry out 'Operation Lotus' against them,' Thackeray warned — a reference that carries particular weight given that 'Operation Lotus' is a phrase historically associated with the BJP's own floor-management tactics. This comes amid sustained pressure on the Thackeray faction following the 2022 Shiv Sena split, which saw Shinde lead a majority of MLAs away from Thackeray's camp. The latest defections suggest that pressure has not abated.
Point of View
But the more consequential moment was Thackeray invoking 'Operation Lotus' — a phrase the BJP itself coined for floor-crossing manoeuvres. That the Thackeray camp is now threatening to use the same playbook signals either a genuine strategic shift or a bluff designed to deter further poaching. The deeper problem for Sena-UBT is structural: if MPs who won on party goodwill can be peeled away with apparent ease, the 2022 split has not stabilised — it is still unfolding. Raut's rhetoric is combative, but the party's ability to hold its remaining legislators will be the real test of whether Thackeray's political capital is intact or merely sentimental.
NationPress
20 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Sanjay Raut call Sena-UBT defectors 'insects in dung'?
Raut used the phrase to dismiss rebel MPs Omraje Nimbalkar and Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, arguing they had returned to the faction that suited their opportunism after being built up by Uddhav Thackeray's party. He reminded audiences that Thackeray had addressed 94 rallies for these very candidates during the last Lok Sabha elections.
What did Sanjay Raut say about Eknath Shinde's political future?
Raut questioned whether Shinde would retain his position as Deputy Chief Minister, comparing his hold on power to that of Ajit Pawar, who once wielded significant influence but saw it diminish. 'He is the deputy Chief Minister today, but he won't be there tomorrow,' Raut said.
What is 'Operation Tiger' and how did Uddhav Thackeray respond to it?
'Operation Tiger' is the reported label for the Shinde-BJP camp's effort to engineer defections from the Thackeray faction. Thackeray warned that if such poaching continued, he would launch a counter-offensive he called 'Operation Lotus' — a term historically associated with BJP floor-management tactics.
Why did Uddhav Thackeray apologise to voters on 19 June?
Thackeray apologised to voters in constituencies affected by the latest defections, saying these leaders had won their seats on the strength of the party's grassroots support and goodwill. He also noted that nine Sena-UBT MPs had won their seats without relying on the Modi wave, questioning why they were now switching sides.
Who are the Sena-UBT MPs targeted in Raut's attack?
Raut directed his sharpest criticism at Dharashiv MP Omraje Nimbalkar and Hingoli MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, both of whom reportedly defected from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction. Raut quoted Nimbalkar's own past pledges of loyalty to Uddhav Thackeray to underline what he called a betrayal.
