'Operation Tiger' Roars On: Big Blow To Aaditya Thackeray As Worli MLA Sachin Ahir Joins Shinde Camp

Mumbai: Days after six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs defected to Eknath Shinde-led Sena in Maharashtra, Worli MLA Sachin Ahir too switched sides and joined the Shinde camp, delivering a major setback to Aaditya Thackeray in his political stronghold of Worli.

According to sources, Ahir has formally submitted an application to the Deputy Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, seeking recognition as a member of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction.

The move comes as a major political jolt for the Shiv Sena (UBT), with Worli regarded as one of Aaditya Thackeray's key bastions in Mumbai.

The development is being viewed as another major success for Shinde's ongoing political outreach, which has seen leaders from rival camps, particularly the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), cross over to his faction.

Fresh Setback for Aaditya Thackeray

Sachin Ahir's switch assumes political significance as he represents Worli, the Assembly constituency that has emerged as Aaditya Thackeray's political stronghold over the years.

The crossover is likely to bolster Shinde's influence in Mumbai while weakening the organisational and legislative strength of the Shiv Sena (UBT) in one of its most prominent bastions.

The move also comes at a time when the Thackeray camp has been battling a series of defections since the 2022 split that divided the Shiv Sena.

'Operation Tiger' Continues

The latest induction has once again brought the spotlight on Shinde's political strategy, popularly referred to as "Operation Tiger."

Since engineering the historic 2022 rebellion with 40 Shiv Sena MLAs, Shinde has steadily expanded his faction by inducting leaders from the Uddhav Thackeray camp, claiming to represent the "original Shiv Sena" founded by Balasaheb Thackeray.

The latest move is being viewed as part of a sustained effort to further consolidate the Shinde-led Sena ahead of key political battles in Maharashtra.

Operation Tiger 3.0? Reports of Secret Meeting with 14 UBT MLAs

Ahir's induction comes just days after reports emerged that 14 of the remaining 20 Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs held a closed-door meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at an undisclosed location.

The reported meeting sparked speculation of "Operation Tiger 3.0", with political circles abuzz over the possibility of another major split within the Thackeray camp.

Sources had suggested that Shinde's absence from several high-profile government events, including the unveiling of a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Badlapur, Shiv Jayanti celebrations at Agra Fort and the inauguration of the second phase of Shivsrushti Theme Park, was linked to these political discussions.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended all three events alone, fuelling speculation of differences within the Mahayuti government before reports of the closed-door meeting surfaced.

If the reported group of legislators eventually switches sides, the strength of the Thackeray faction in the Maharashtra Assembly could reportedly shrink from 20 MLAs to just six, significantly altering the political equations in the state.

Move After 6 UBT MPs Crossed Over

The latest political development also comes close on the heels of another major setback for Uddhav Thackeray.

Earlier this month, six of the Shiv Sena (UBT)'s nine Lok Sabha MPs formally joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, dramatically reshaping the party's parliamentary strength.

The MPs who crossed over were Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli), Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv), Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North East), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani) and Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi).

The move increased the Shinde faction's strength in the Lok Sabha from seven to 13 MPs, while reducing the Uddhav Thackeray faction to just three MPs.

The rebel MPs submitted a merger letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, citing the support of the required two-thirds of the parliamentary party to comply with anti-defection provisions.

Shinde: 'Second Phase of the 2022 Movement'

Welcoming the MPs into his camp, Eknath Shinde had described the development as a continuation of the political revolt that began in 2022.

"Today we welcome all these six kattar Shivsainik MPs into the original Shiv Sena of Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe. In 2022, we carried out a revolt to save Balasaheb's Shiv Sena. This is the second phase of that movement," Shinde had said.

He asserted that the leaders had joined not for personal gain but for the development of their constituencies and reiterated that the people had endorsed his faction during the Assembly elections.

With Sachin Ahir now joining the Shinde camp and speculation continuing over more possible defections, Maharashtra's political landscape appears headed for another round of realignment.