In a major political setback for Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, six of the party’s nine Lok Sabha MPs joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Mumbai on Monday.

The move ends days of speculation and significantly strengthens Shinde’s position within Maharashtra politics.

The MPs who switched sides are Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv), Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North-East), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim), Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli) and Bhausaheb Vakchaure (Shirdi).

The development comes nearly four years after Shinde led a rebellion within the Shiv Sena in 2022, resulting in a split in the party and a prolonged political battle with Uddhav Thackeray.

Shinde calls it ‘Operation Tiger’

Welcoming the MPs into his camp, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde described them as “six tigers” who had joined the “real Shiv Sena family”.

Declaring the success of what he called “Operation Tiger”, Shinde said the latest development marked the second phase of the party’s expansion. He compared the switch to a political “sixer”, recalling the 2022 rebellion when 40 MLAs had backed him.

The rebel group secured the support of six MPs, meeting the two-thirds requirement needed to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law.

Shinde also stressed that the transition had been carried out legally and in accordance with parliamentary procedures.

Development funds cited as key concern

One of the main reasons cited by the MPs for switching sides was the lack of development funds for their constituencies.

Shinde assured the MPs that there would be no shortage of funds for development projects in the areas they represent.

The Deputy Chief Minister also took a swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, noting that three of the rebel MPs share the name Sanjay. The remark came amid reports that only three of the nine UBT MPs attended an emergency parliamentary party meeting called in Delhi.

War of words intensifies

The defections have triggered sharp reactions from the Uddhav Thackeray camp. Speaking to reporters, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut accused Shinde of creating “six traitors” and launched a strong attack on the Deputy Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray is expected to intensify his political outreach. The former Maharashtra Chief Minister is set to begin a statewide campaign from June 27, visiting constituencies represented by the rebel MPs.

With the latest additions, Shinde claimed that his Shiv Sena has emerged as the second-largest party in Maharashtra in terms of Lok Sabha representation. The defections are expected to further reshape the political landscape in the state ahead of future electoral contests.