The presence of Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena MPs Nagesh Ashtikar and Sanjay Deshmukh at a recent dinner hosted by Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has sparked political speculation about whether they could defect to the Shinde-led Sena as part of ‘Operation Tiger’.
Commenting on the development, Shiv Sena MP Nagesh Ashtikar told media persons, “It was an anniversary event hosted by Shinde-led Shiv Sena MP and Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav. He had requested us to attend. So I went to his house to wish him. This does not mean we discussed anything else. There is talk of ‘Operation Tiger’, but there is no truth to it. I think we should meet each other in happiness and sorrow. There is nothing wrong with this meeting.”
The development came after earlier reports that Deputy CM Eknath Shinde was in Delhi recently to seek a green light for ‘Operation Tiger’. It was also reported that Union Home Minister Amit Shah did not meet Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and even put ‘Operation Tiger’ on hold.
According to sources, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde was keen on bringing 6 MPs each from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena into his party.
Currently, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena has 7 MPs. If 6 MPs each from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena defect to his party, the total would rise to 19 MPs, increasing his political bargaining power. The calculation is that this would enable Shinde to claim at least 19 seats during the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, sources said.
As things stand, 9 MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena are Lok Sabha members.
However, it was speculated that six Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena MPs are unhappy because of difficulties in obtaining funds for development work in their constituencies from the BJP-led government. They feel that obtaining funds would be easy if they became part of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, according to speculation in political circles.
These six Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena MPs are said to be of the view that it would be advantageous to have a BJP-led Mahayuti alliance government both at the centre and at the state level.
After such speculation, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray got into damage control mode and held a meeting of his party MPs at his ‘Matoshree’ residence on March 22. The unhappiness of MPs was discussed at this meeting.
Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, Sanjay Dina Patil, Rajabhau Waje, Sanjay Deshmukh, Nagesh Ashtikar Patil, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchoure and Pawan Raje Nimbalkar, as well as Priyanka Chaturvedi and other MPs, were present at the meeting.