Mumbai: A major political upheaval is once again expected in Maharashtra, potentially dealing a significant blow to Uddhav Thackeray. State Cabinet Minister and Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik has made a startling claim. According to him, six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs are set to switch sides on Monday and join the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. If this claim proves true, the Shinde faction’s number of MPs in the Lok Sabha will increase from seven to 13, a significant political blow to Uddhav Thackeray.
Speaking to the media, Pratap Sarnaik stated that these six MPs will officially join the Shinde faction on Monday at 3 pm. He also stated that these MPs have already submitted a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker in this regard. Sarnaik dubbed the entire development “Operation Tiger” and said that this campaign to strengthen the Shiv Sena continues 365 days a year. He also sarcastically thanked Sanjay Raut, saying that leaders who follow Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology are now joining Shinde.
The six MPs most widely rumored to be switching sides include Sanjay Deshmukh from Yavatmal-Washim, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar from Hingoli, Sanjay Jadhav from Parbhani, Bhausaheb Wakchaure from Shirdi, Sanjay Dina Patil from Mumbai North-East, and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar from Dharashiv. These speculations gained momentum when all these MPs were absent from the recent Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentary party meeting, leading to speculation that they might switch sides.
There are mixed reactions from both sides to this entire political turmoil. MLA Mahesh Sawant of the Uddhav faction expressed indifference, saying, “Those who were leaving have left.” While MLC Dr. Manisha Kayande of the Shinde faction stated that the incoming leaders are not rebels but true Shiv Sainiks, and Eknath Shinde is welcoming them. On the other hand, in light of this major crisis, Uddhav Thackeray has decided to take the field. Starting June 27th, he will undertake a whirlwind tour of all the areas of Maharashtra where MPs are reported to have defected, in order to prevent the organization from disintegrating and keep the morale of the workers intact.
