Mumbai: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has alleged that attempts are being made to lure his party’s MPs with money, claiming a deal of Rs 50 crore and an advance payment of Rs 15 crore.
Maharashtra is currently ruled by a BJP–Shiv Sena–NCP alliance led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Uddhav Thackeray’s party is among the key opposition forces in the state, with 20 MLAs and nine Lok Sabha MPs.
In recent days, reports have circulated about an alleged “Operation Tiger” aimed at drawing Uddhav Sena MLAs and MPs towards Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, triggering political turbulence. The report also noted that at a recent internal meeting chaired by Uddhav Thackeray, six of the nine MPs did not attend, and 16 MLAs were said to be unreachable.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Raut said he had information that money was being offered to engineer defections, and alleged that some MPs travelled via a “secret flight” from places including Nanded and Pune after assurances of payment. He also claimed that an MP from Dharashiv, Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, was pressured to switch sides by citing his father’s murder case.
Raut said those intending to leave should first resign their MP posts and seek a fresh mandate from voters. He warned that if a split like 2022 repeats, people and party workers would not remain silent, and added that a formal letter has been sent to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking action as per law.
