Uday Samant Hints at UBT MLA Defections Under Operation Tiger 3.0

Shiv Sena minister Uday Samant on Tuesday hinted at potential defections from the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction in Mumbai, stating that whenever 'Operation Tiger 3.0' succeeds, it will be breaking news for the public.

Speaking on the speculation that 14 MLAs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led party could join Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, Samant said that members across various tiers of the opposition party are eager to switch sides.

According to Samant, individuals from Sena (UBT), ranging from gram panchayat members and corporators to legislators and senior leaders, want to work under Shinde. He noted that this willingness indicates they are prepared to make the transition.

Party functionaries claimed that 14 Sena (UBT) MLAs could defect if five to six of them are granted ministerial berths. Three ministers have reportedly been assigned the responsibility of facilitating the crossover.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) currently holds 20 seats in the Legislative Assembly, making 14 the required two-third threshold to initiate a split without attracting disqualification. Ten of the party's 20 MLAs represent Mumbai constituencies, including Uddhav Thackeray's son Aaditya Thackeray and nephew Varun Sardesai.

A loss of 14 MLAs would deliver another significant blow to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, which previously saw six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs defect to Shinde's faction in June.

Shiv Sena (UBT) has dismissed the possibility of a fresh split, calling the reports entirely baseless. Sena (UBT) MLA Kailash Patil stated that Shinde's faction is circulating rumours about internal party divisions to divert public attention from ongoing Maratha reservation and Other Backward Class (OBC) protests.