Six MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) have reportedly formed a separate parliamentary group and formally notified Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in writing, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Sanjay Shirsat claimed on Thursday, 18 June, amid intensifying controversy surrounding what is being called 'Operation Tiger'. The development, if confirmed, would mark the most significant internal rupture in the Thackeray faction since the original Shiv Sena split of 2022.

What Shirsat Claimed

Speaking to reporters in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Shirsat said the process of forming a separate group had already advanced and that the MPs themselves would determine their next political move once all formalities were concluded. He added that if the six MPs wished to merge with the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the final call on their induction would rest entirely with Shinde.

"The MPs have formed a separate group and informed the Lok Sabha Speaker. Once the entire process is completed, they will decide which party they wish to join. If they want to merge with us, the decision will be taken by Eknath Shinde. Whatever decision he takes will be accepted by all of us," Shirsat said.

Sena(UBT) Fires Back with Three-Line Whip

Senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and Arvind Sawant convened a joint press conference ahead of a crucial parliamentary party meeting at their Parliament office in New Delhi, issuing a sharp warning to any potential defectors. Invoking the legacy of party founder Balasaheb Thackeray, the two leaders declared that the party would launch a political and legal offensive against those attempting to engineer a split.

Sawant, the party's leader in the Lok Sabha, confirmed that a formal three-line whip had been issued to all MPs and was hand-delivered to their residences, with copies also transmitted via email and WhatsApp to ensure legal compliance. The meeting was called to take stock of MPs physically present in Delhi and to deliberate on parliamentary strategy.

Raut's Defiance and Thackeray's Directives

Addressing media speculation about a mass defection, Raut took a pointed jibe at opponents: "Looking at the media atmosphere, even though we officially have nine MPs, it feels like 15 will turn up today." He also revealed that party chief Uddhav Thackeray had personally reviewed the situation and issued clear directives on managing the political crisis.

Notably, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar has extended full solidarity to the Thackeray faction. According to Raut, Pawar expressed readiness to hold joint public rallies in the home constituencies of any rebel MPs, with the broader Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition — comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and the Congress — prepared to fight the challenge collectively.

Broader Context and What Comes Next

This is the second time in three years that a Thackeray-aligned faction faces a formal split challenge. The 2022 rebellion by Eknath Shinde stripped the original Shiv Sena of its name, symbol, and majority of MLAs, a verdict ultimately upheld by the Election Commission. A repeat in the Lok Sabha could further erode the Thackeray bloc's parliamentary standing. The anti-defection law's applicability to a 'merger' — which requires at least two-thirds of a party's MPs to join another — will be central to any legal proceedings that follow.