Eknath Shinde calls six defecting UBT MPs 'Dhurandhar', says 'Operation Tiger' successful

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde on Monday declared Operation Tiger complete after six Lok Sabha Members of Parliament MPs from the Shiv Sena UBT formally joined the ruling Shiv Sena dealing a major blow to the Uddhav Thackerayled partyThe six MPs who crossed over are Sanjay Jadhav Parbhani Sanjay Deshmukh YavatmalWashim Sanjay Dina Patil Mumbai North East Nagesh Patil Ashtikar Hingoli Omprakash Rajenimbalkar alias Omraje Nimbalkar Dharashiv and Bhausaheb Wakchaure ShirdiThe induction took place in Mumbai in the presence of Shinde and senior Shiv Sena leaders days after the six MPs skipped a parliamentary party meeting convened by the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray in New Delhi With their exit the Thackeray factions strength in the Lok Sabha has come down from nine MPs to threeAddressing party workers and the media Shinde described the crossover as the successful culmination of Operation TigerOperation Tiger is complete now My operations are foolproof he said while referring to the six MPs as Dhurandhar leaders who remain connected to the grassrootsClaiming that the Shiv Sena had emerged stronger Shinde stated These Lok Sabha members have now joined the original Shiv Sena that follows the teachings of late Balasaheb Thackeray Four years back I took a strong step and now I have hit a sixerShiv Sena is one family Shinde reiterates claim over party legacyReferring to his 2022 rebellion against the undivided Shiv Sena the Maharashtra Deputy CM said the move was aimed at preserving the ideals of party founder Balasaheb ThackerayI did it earlier to save the principles of late Balasaheb Thackeray and to save the Shiv Sena Now this move is the second stage of Shiv Sena expansion he statedShinde also asserted that the Shiv Sena under his leadership represented the partys original ideologyShiv Sena is one family It represents the true Shiv Sena and upholds the ideologies of Balasaheb Thackeray and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe he said after welcoming the six MPs into the party foldVIDEO Shiv Sena is one family It represents the true Shiv Sena and upholds the ideologies of Balasaheb Thackeray and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe says Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde mieknathshinde after six Shiv Sena UBT MPs join the ruling Shiv SenaFullhellip pictwittercomcQNc70zjLwmdash Press Trust of India PTI_News June 22 2026Praising Dharashiv MP Omraje Nimbalkar Shinde said the parliamentarian had taken the decision after consulting his supporters and party workersOmraje Nimbalkar came with us with a kingsize heart He discussed with his workers and then decided to come with us They called him Reel Star but he is a Real Star according to me Shinde statedShinde praises Omraje Nimbalkar calls him a Real StarHe added that the MPs had joined the Shiv Sena not for personal gain but for the development of their constituenciesReferring to the recent acquittal of the accused in the murder case of Nimbalkars father Pawanraje Shinde said A few days back an unfortunate decision came in the matter of Omraje Nimbalkars fathers matter but I told him dont worry Eknath Shinde is standing with youMumbai Maharashtra Deputy CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde says Omraje Nimbalkar came with us with a kingsize heart He discussed with his workers and then decided to come with us They called him Reel star but he is a Real Star according to me All these people havehellip pictwittercomCSL1alGWGWmdash ANI ANI June 22 2026Shinde also recalled the growth of his faction after the 2022 splitWe had 40 MLAs when we revolted but later in the elections we became 60 from 40 he said adding that the people had endorsed the decision taken by his campThe six MPs had won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on Shiv Sena UBT tickets Their switch is being seen as a significant political gain for the ruling Shiv Sena and the Mahayuti alliance ahead of future electoral battles in MaharashtraWith PTI and ANI inputs