Six Shiv Sena UBT MPs form breakaway faction to join Eknath Shinde camp

In Mumbai, six Shiv Sena (UBT) Members of Parliament, including Mumbai North East representative Sanjay Dina Patil, have reportedly formed a separate group in the Lok Sabha. This breakaway faction is set to join the Shiv Sena faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on June 19, which marks the party's foundation day.

The development is part of an alleged initiative referred to as "Operation Tiger," which is reportedly aimed at engineering a split within the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. The defection of these six MPs would significantly reduce the strength of the Shiv Sena (UBT) in the Lok Sabha, where they currently hold nine seats.

The six MPs who have reportedly aligned with the Eknath Shinde camp include Aashtikar Patil Nagesh Bapurao of Hingoli, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure of Shirdi, and Omprakash Bhupalsinh, also known as Pavan Rajenimbalkar, of Osmanabad. The group also features Sanjay Dina Patil of Mumbai North East, Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav of Parbhani, and Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh of Yavatmal-Washim.

According to party functionaries, only three MPs from the Shiv Sena (UBT) have remained outside of this newly formed breakaway group. These MPs are Arvind Sawant representing Mumbai South, Anil Desai representing Mumbai South Central, and Rajabhau Parag Prakash Waje representing Nashik.

In an attempt to secure official status, the six breakaway MPs have reportedly submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking formal recognition as a separate group. Upon learning of the move, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, and Sanjay Raut held a meeting with the Speaker in Delhi, urging him not to recognize any such breakaway faction.

In response to the crisis, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership has officially issued a whip. The directive instructs all of its Lok Sabha MPs to attend a crucial parliamentary party meeting scheduled for Thursday morning in Delhi.