Sanjay Raut warns rebel MPs: Resign first, then face voters over 'Operation Tiger'
Synopsis
Sanjay Raut's 'Operation Tiger' press conference was as much a show of defiance as it was an admission of vulnerability — only three of nine UBT Lok Sabha MPs stood beside him. With ₹15 crore allegedly on offer per lawmaker and the Shinde camp claiming the deal is already done, the Uddhav Thackeray faction faces its most serious internal test since the 2022 split, timed precisely to overshadow the party's 60th Foundation Day.
Key Takeaways
Sanjay Raut alleged a horse-trading operation codenamed 'Operation Tiger' is underway, with ₹15 crore each reportedly offered to UBT MPs to defect.
Charter flights were allegedly kept ready at three locations , including Nanded and Pune , to ferry defectors to New Delhi .
Only 3 of 9 newly elected Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs appeared alongside Raut at the press conference.
Shinde-camp MLA Kripal Tumane claimed 16 MLAs and 7 MPs from UBT are in contact with CM Eknath Shinde .
UBT group leader Arvind Sawant and Chief Whip Anil Desai have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to pre-empt a formal split.
An emergency party meeting has been called for Thursday, 18 June , with all MPs issued a strict whip to attend.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday, 17 June issued a public ultimatum to rumoured rebel lawmakers within the party, warning that anyone seeking to defect must first resign their parliamentary seat and seek a fresh mandate from voters. Speaking at a high-voltage press conference in New Delhi, Raut alleged that the ruling Mahayuti alliance had launched a coordinated horse-trading drive — codenamed 'Operation Tiger' — to poach opposition MPs ahead of Maharashtra's upcoming monsoon legislative session.
The 'Operation Tiger' Allegation
Raut claimed to possess specific intelligence that sitting opposition MPs were being offered ₹15 crore each as advance payments to switch sides. He alleged that chartered aircraft were kept on standby at three locations, including Nanded and Pune, to ferry willing defectors to Delhi. 'Operation Tiger is not going to be that easy. Breaking the Shiv Sena (UBT) is impossible because we are the real tigers,' he said.
Raut dismissed reports that six to seven UBT MPs had already travelled to Delhi to submit a breakaway letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, calling it a 'false narrative' orchestrated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led faction to destabilise the party ahead of its 60th Foundation Day on 19 June.
Sacred Oaths and Internal Loyalty Meeting
Raut revealed that at an internal party review chaired by Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday, 14 June, all elected representatives had pledged unconditional loyalty. Four MPs — Arvind Sawant (Mumbai South), Rajabhau Waje (Nashik), Anil Desai (Mumbai South Central), and Sanjay Dina Patil — attended in person; the remaining five participated via video conferencing.
'One MP took an oath in the name of Sai Baba four separate times. He said: 'I am with you, I swear by Sai Baba; my wife is sick, I swear by Sai Baba; I will come to meet you in two days, I swear by Sai Baba; I will stay with you until I die, I swear by Sai Baba.' Another MP swore on his daughter's life, and a third swore by Goddess Bhavani. When people take such sacred oaths, we are forced to trust them,' Raut explained.
Coercion Allegations and the Nimbalkar Case
In a pointed allegation, Raut accused the ruling alliance of using pending legal proceedings as leverage. He specifically named Osmanabad MP Omraje Nimbalkar, claiming the lawmaker was told: 'If you want this judicial verdict to swing in your favour, switch over to our party.' Raut called this 'the level of pressure being applied,' though these claims remain unverified and no official complaint has been cited.
Raut also directed sharp words at those he described as potential traitors: 'Balasaheb loved them like sons, and Uddhav ji treated them like brothers, yet they chose to betray them. You were elected entirely on our symbol and through Uddhav Thackeray's sheer hard work. No one has the right to be dishonest.'
Shinde Camp Claims Deal Is Done
The rival Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLA Kripal Tumane escalated the war of words earlier in the day, asserting: 'The final deal is done. At least 16 MLAs and 7 MPs from Uddhav ji's side are in direct contact with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Only the formal date of execution remains.' The UBT camp has not confirmed any of these figures.
Notably, only three of the party's nine newly elected Lok Sabha MPs — Sawant, Desai, and Waje — stood alongside Raut at the press conference, a visual that critics argued undermined his show of unity. MP Waje clarified that his presence in Delhi was solely for scheduled parliamentary committee meetings.
Party's Legal Safeguards and Emergency Meeting
To pre-empt a formal split, Shiv Sena (UBT) group leader Arvind Sawant and Chief Whip Anil Desai confirmed they have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alerting the secretariat to unauthorised anti-party activity. The party has also issued a strict legislative whip requiring all parliamentary members to attend an emergency meeting on Thursday, 18 June.
With the 60th anniversary of Shiv Sena's founding just hours away, the battle for the political legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray has intensified into what observers describe as a ruthless war of attrition — and the next 48 hours will be decisive.
Point of View
The show of unity was visibly incomplete. The 'Operation Tiger' framing is strategically smart: it shifts the narrative from internal dissent to external conspiracy, a playbook the UBT camp used effectively during the 2022 split. But the Nimbalkar allegation is the most serious element here — if the claim of judicial coercion is substantiated, it moves this from a political crisis into a law-and-order one. The timing, 48 hours before the party's 60th Foundation Day, suggests both sides are calibrating for maximum symbolic impact, and the next legislative whip response will be the real vote count.
NationPress
4 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Operation Tiger' in Maharashtra politics?
'Operation Tiger' is the name Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has given to an alleged horse-trading drive by the ruling Mahayuti alliance to poach opposition lawmakers ahead of Maharashtra's monsoon legislative session. Raut claims MPs were offered ₹15 crore each and that charter flights were arranged to bring willing defectors to Delhi, though the ruling alliance has not confirmed these allegations.
How many UBT MPs are at risk of defecting, according to the Shinde camp?
Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLA Kripal Tumane claimed on 17 June that at least 16 MLAs and 7 MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray faction are in direct contact with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, with only the formal date of the switch remaining. The UBT camp has denied these figures.
What action has Shiv Sena (UBT) taken to prevent a split?
Group leader Arvind Sawant and Chief Whip Anil Desai have formally written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to alert the secretariat of unauthorised anti-party activity. The party has also issued a strict whip requiring all MPs to attend an emergency meeting on Thursday, 18 June.
What did Sanjay Raut allege about Osmanabad MP Omraje Nimbalkar?
Raut alleged that Nimbalkar was offered a favourable outcome in his father's ongoing murder trial in exchange for switching to the ruling alliance. These claims are unverified and no formal complaint has been publicly cited.
Why is the June 19 date significant in this political crisis?
19 June marks the 60th Foundation Day of the Shiv Sena. Both the UBT faction and the Shinde-led faction have a strong interest in projecting strength and legitimacy on this date, making the 48-hour window before it politically critical for both sides.
