The Thackeray faction suffered a crushing defeat in the 2024 assembly elections, and since then, political parties have begun gearing up for the upcoming local body elections. The Thackeray group has already started preparations to regain control of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. However, it continues to face significant setbacks, with defections from within its ranks showing no signs of slowing down. Recently, workers and office-bearers from Parbhani, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Mumbai, Kalyan, Thane, and Bhiwandi left the Thackeray group to join the Shiv Sena Shinde faction. Now, there are reports that Konkan will be the next target.
Leaders of the Shinde faction have announced the launch of "Operation Tiger" and "Operation Dhanushban," claiming that several MLAs and MPs from the Thackeray group are already in contact with them, and a decision on this will be made soon. Over the past few days, numerous office-bearers and workers from across the state have defected from the Thackeray group and joined the Shinde faction. This ongoing exodus is expected to pose a serious challenge for Uddhav Thackeray as he prepares for the upcoming municipal and local body elections.
Gulabrao Patil, a prominent leader of the Shinde faction, recently claimed that the Thackeray group would soon be completely wiped out in Konkan. He stated that "Operation Tiger" is already underway and that many people have joined the Shinde faction in districts like Nanded. He expressed confidence that the Shiv Sena belongs to no one person, and their loyal workers will ensure the party’s dominance across Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, the Thackeray group is facing another blow in the Ratnagiri district. Two former MLAs from the Thackeray group are set to join Shiv Sena, and Rajan Salvi is expected to join along with his supporters and office-bearers on February 13. However, this move has reportedly caused some dissatisfaction among the Samant brothers. Uday Samant, a leader from the Thackeray group, stated that he had not yet had discussions with Eknath Shinde regarding Rajan Salvi's entry. He emphasized the need for a detailed conversation about Salvi’s intentions and aspirations before allowing him into the party. Uday also pointed out that his elder brother had defeated Salvi in the constituency and that it was crucial to involve him in the decision-making process.