Six MPs announce joining Shiv Sena under Eknath Shinde’s leadership
Six Lok Sabha MPs from the Shiv Sena (UBT) have defected to join the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The move, dubbed 'Operation Tiger,' strengthens the ruling NDA alliance's position in the state.
Why it matters
This significant political realignment alters the power balance in Maharashtra and impacts the national legislative landscape.
Ending days of speculation about the alleged defection of six of the nine Lok Sabha members of the Shiv Sena (UBT) , the six MPs publicly appeared with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday (June 22, 2026). They announced entering the Shiv Sena , and said they would continue to work under the leadership of Mr. Shinde. “We have completed the procedure in legal, constitutional and parliamentary framework. We do foolproof operations. All the six MPs have joined the Shiv Sena. Operation Tiger has been successful,” Mr. Shinde said on Monday (June 22, 2026) in the presence of party legislators, Cabinet Ministers and senior leaders.
The report provides quotes from both the defecting side and the opposition, presenting the event as a factual political development.
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