Uday Samant Dismisses Operation Tiger Claims as UBT Leaders Join Shinde Camp
On Saturday, Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant dismissed allegations of engineered defections from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), claiming that leaders and party workers are joining the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena voluntarily. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Maharashtra MSME Summit & Awards in Navi Mumbai, Samant asserted that internal discontent, rather than external pressure, is driving the political shifts.
Samant rejected the notion that the ruling alliance was executing "Operation Tiger"—a term associated with efforts to lure opposition members. He pointed out that six MLAs and a municipal president had recently switched sides to join the Shinde-led faction. According to Samant, UBT members are choosing to join their side automatically without any targeted recruitment campaign.
The minister attributed the ongoing defections to a growing rift within the Uddhav Thackeray camp. He stated that party workers had become alienated over the past few years due to a lack of dialogue and what he described as an unnatural political alliance. Samant criticized the UBT leadership for focusing on constant criticism of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde instead of engaging in self-introspection. He claimed that despite the criticism, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena has established itself as the second-largest political force in Maharashtra, behind the BJP.
Addressing recent combative remarks by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, Samant dismissed them as having no political impact, stating that voters have already given their mandate. He also touched upon reports of 24 MLAs being absent from a recent meeting of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, noting that he is currently gathering information on the matter.
Additionally, Samant downplayed political speculation surrounding Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Uddhav Thackeray sharing a flight to Nagpur on Saturday. He described the shared travel as part of Maharashtra's political tradition of cooperation with the opposition, reiterating that the ruling Mahayuti alliance remains strong.
Samant also addressed a recent controversy involving newly defected MP Sanjay Dina Patil, who reportedly issued threats to journalists. Samant stated that Patil's conduct was not supported by the Shiv Sena or Eknath Shinde, adding that both Patil and the party had expressed regret over the incident.
