Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut alleged that efforts are underway to lure party MPs with offers of up to Rs 15 crore each to switch over to the faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
He made the claim in a post on X, where he wrote, “Apna Sapna Money Money! It’s shocking and revolting that Maharashtra MPs are reportedly being offered Rs 15 crore each tonight to switch sides.”
Raut’s statement came at a time when talk of internal unease within the Shiv Sena (UBT) camp has been doing the rounds, with reports suggesting that a few MPs could be considering a defection. Later in the day, he pushed back against these claims and said there was no truth to reports of a breakaway group forming within the party.
“This is a lie. We have no such information. Four days ago, all these MPs took part in a meeting called by Uddhav Thackeray and expressed faith in his leadership. Of them, some of the leaders swore by their loved ones pledging support to Uddhav,” Raut said while speaking at a press conference.
His comments were aimed at rejecting reports that five MPs were planning to form a separate faction.
On the other side, Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC also rejected suggestions that the Shinde-led group was trying to pull leaders from rival camps. She said there was no effort to engineer any political breakups and referred to the leadership of Eknath Shinde.
“We have no interest in breaking any party. Everyone has seen the popularity of our leader, Eknath Shinde, because he is loyal to the common people and works at the grassroots level. He doesn’t work from home,” she told ANI.
At the same time, Shiv Sena MLC Krupal Tumane added fresh fuel to the ongoing chatter around “Operation Tiger”. He said talks with seven MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction had reached an advanced stage and suggested that they could move to the camp ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The term “Operation Tiger” has been circulating in political circles in Maharashtra, referring to possible departures from the Shiv Sena (UBT). According to the ongoing buzz, seven out of the nine MPs from the UBT side are said to be in contact with leaders from the Shinde-led faction.
This comes more than two years after the major split in the Shiv Sena in 2022, when Shinde broke away from Thackeray along with a large group of MLAs. It led to a division in the party and a change in Maharashtra’s political balance. The developments suggest that similar tensions may once again be building within the parliamentary wing of the party, even as leaders from both sides continue to give contrasting versions of the situation.
