Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Friday openly challenged Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in response to reports of some party members joining Shinde’s faction.
Thackeray, addressing the media, dared Shinde and the BJP to leave behind the involvement of investigative agencies and face him directly. Thackeray said, "If you (Eknath Shinde and BJP) are 'Mard ki Aulad' (son of a man), keep aside ED, CBI, Income Tax and Police and come and fight with us. We will show you which is the real Shiv Sena," Thackeray said as quoted ANI.
The comments came after Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant claimed that several current and former Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and six Members of Parliament (MPs) from Shiv Sena (UBT) were in talks to join Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction. Reports suggest that Shinde’s faction is leading “Operation Tiger” to recruit members from the Thackeray-led party. Shinde confirmed that preparations for the operation are complete.
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Currently, Shiv Sena (UBT) holds nine seats in the Lok Sabha and two in the Rajya Sabha.
In response to the growing speculation, Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha members held a joint press conference on Friday to reaffirm their loyalty to the party. MPs including Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, Omraje Nimbalkar, and others condemned the rumors about mass defections. Sawant, a former Union minister, clarified that none of the MPs had been contacted by the Shinde faction and reiterated their commitment to the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.