19 June,2026 12:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Rajabhau Waje. Pic/X
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Rajabhau Waje on Friday dismissed speculation surrounding his political stand and said he had not rebelled against the party.
Waje made the remarks after arriving in Nashik, where he was welcomed by supporters amid ongoing political discussions over the future of some Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs.
Addressing reporters, Waje said, "I did not rebel. We are three MPs who are together."
His remarks come at a time when political circles in Maharashtra are abuzz over the possibility of some Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders moving closer to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
The speculation has intensified following claims by leaders of the Shinde faction that several MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led party are in contact with them.
Adding to the political speculation, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Jadhav earlier shared a poster on social media marking the completion of 60 years of Shiv Sena.
The poster carried the words "Akhand Shiv Sena, Atal Hindutva" and featured the party's tiger symbol along with a "60 years" emblem.
Notably, the poster did not carry images associated with either the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena or the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), prompting political discussion over the message being conveyed.
The developments coincided with separate Foundation Day celebrations organised by the two Shiv Sena factions.
Posters and banners put up by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) were displayed across several parts of Mumbai, including Bandra, Kalanagar and the Matoshree area.
The celebrations highlighted the continuing rivalry between the two factions that emerged after the split in the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022.
The Foundation Day events took place amid continuing discussion over the alleged "Operation Tiger", a term being used to describe reports that several Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs are in touch with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and may join the ruling alliance.
The speculation gained momentum after Shiv Sena MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi claimed that six MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) had expressed confidence in Eknath Shinde and aligned themselves with his faction.
However, there has been no official confirmation from the MPs concerned regarding those claims.
The split in Shiv Sena dates back to 2022 when Eknath Shinde, along with a large number of MLAs, rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership, leading to the division of the party.
The subsequent political and legal battle resulted in the Election Commission recognising the Shinde faction as the official Shiv Sena and allotting it the party's traditional bow-and-arrow symbol, while the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction came to be known as Shiv Sena (UBT).
Amid the continuing political speculation, Waje's statement has added another dimension to the debate over the loyalties of Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs and the future course of the party.
(With inputs from Agencies)
