Mumbai: Maharashtra politics has heated up again amid reports of a fresh split within Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction. Sources said 16 MLAs and seven of the party’s nine MPs are likely to move to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena next week.
Uddhav Thackeray, reacting to the developments, indicated he would not stop those who want to leave, saying those wishing to exit may do so. The possible defections have revived memories of the earlier rupture that divided the party.
The current Shiv Sena divide traces back to the post-2019 Assembly election period, when the BJP and the then-united Shiv Sena fell out over the chief minister’s post. Uddhav later formed a government with Congress and the NCP, before Eknath Shinde led a large group of MLAs to back the BJP, resulting in the party splitting and Shinde taking charge of the party name and symbol.
In the latest round of claims, Shinde camp MP and Union Minister of State Prataprao Jadhav said many leaders are unhappy with the functioning of Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut, alleging that MPs and MLAs are viewed with suspicion and that access to Matoshree is difficult. Uddhav faction MP Arvind Sawant rejected the allegations, asking why names are not being revealed if seven MPs are indeed leaving, and insisted the MPs remain united.
Separately, Shiv Sena has denied that any secret plan named “Operation Tiger” is being run to lure leaders from the Uddhav faction, even as senior Shinde-side leader Pratap Sarnaik said the party’s doors remain open for those willing to accept Shinde’s leadership.
