‘Operation Tiger 2.0 has begun’: Shinde Sena minister says 14 Sena (UBT) MLAs may switch

The Sena (UBT) currently has 20 MLAs in the Assembly and any breakaway group would need the support of at least 14 legislators to secure the two-thirds strength required under anti-defection provisions.

Of the party’s 20 legislators, 10 are from Mumbai, including Aaditya Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray’s cousin Varun Sardesai and Sanjay Raut’s brother Sunil Raut.

“Wait for some time, more than 14 MLAs will come with him (Eknath Shinde). Eknath Shinde does not speak much, he only moves his hand on his beard. Aaditya Thackeray himself had said this earlier. Whenever Eknath Shinde moves his hand on his beard, Operation Tiger becomes successful,” Gulabrao Patil told reporters amid the reports that four of the 20 Sena UBT MLAs also met Eknath Shinde during the Monsoon session of the Assembly and expressed their wish to switch over along with a few more MLAs

The remarks come less than a week after six Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs broke away from the party and joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Amid fresh speculation over more defections, Sena minister Uday Samant said leaders from Opposition parties were themselves reaching out to Eknath Shinde.

There was speculation during the day over Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar possibly joining the Shinde camp.

Responding to this, Samant said Wadettiwar was personally close to both him and Eknath Shinde, but said there had been no discussion regarding any switch.

“Vijay Wadettiwar is a good friend and close to Eknath Shinde saheb. He has never discussed joining the party with us. But if a strong leader from Vidarbha like him decides to work with Eknath Shinde saheb, I will be happy,” Samant said.

Later, Wadettiwar dismissed the speculation and said he remained committed to the Congress.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders stepped up attacks on the six rebel MPs who recently switched camps.

Before beginning a three-day political tour of constituencies represented by the six MPs, Sena (UBT) leaders said those who left the party should not be called rebels but traitors.

“Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev and Chandrashekhar Azad were rebels who fought for the country. These people were elected on our symbol and have now gone to another faction. They auctioned themselves. Their price was fixed and they were bought for Rs 50 to 60 crore each,” a Sena (UBT) leader said.

As part of the campaign, Uddhav Thackeray is beginning a three-day tour from Nagpur and will travel to constituencies represented by the six MPs who recently joined the Shinde faction, including Yavatmal, Washim, Hingoli, Parbhani, Dharashiv and Shirdi.

Fadnavis, Uddhav travel on same flight

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray were seen travelling on the same flight on Friday.

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray were also on board.

Videos and photographs of the flight surfaced during the day, triggering speculation in political circles as the development came amid renewed talk of possible defections from Sena (UBT) and Uddhav Thackeray’s outreach programme in constituencies of the six rebel MPs.