Six rebel Uddhav Sena MPs join Eknath Shinde's faction: 'Op tiger was success'
PTC News Desk: Six out of nine Lok Sabha MPs from Uddhav Thackrey's faction joined Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena in Mumbai on Monday evening, ending days of speculation.
Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv), Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North-East), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim),Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli), Bhausaheb Vakchaure (Shirdi) are the rebel MPs.
"The six tigers are here. They have all now joined the real Shiv Sena family. I welcome them to the real Shiv Sena family," Shinde, who led the 2022 rebellion, said.
"Operation Tiger", a code word for getting the MLAs to cross over to the Shiv Sena, is now complete and successful, the Deputy Chief Minister declared.
Shinde also welcomed the entry of six MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction into his camp, describing it as a sign of increasing confidence in his leadership and the direction of his party.
The rebel group needed at least six MPs to switch sides, which is two-thirds of the total strength in order to prevent disqualification under the anti-defection law.
The controversy intensified after the only three MPs out of nine turned up at an urgent parliamentary party meeting called by Team Thackeray in Delhi.
Before the split became official, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis appeared to acknowledge the success of the widely discussed "Operation Tiger."
When asked about the division within Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Fadnavis remarked, "The operation has been successful, and the body is in very good health. There is no need for anyone to worry. Those who need to introspect should do so."
- With inputs from agencies
