‘Operation Tiger’: Shiv Sena (UBT) claims ₹50-crore offer to MPs, unsure of their whereabouts

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Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Sanjay Raut, Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai during a press conference, in New Delhi, on June 17, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI

Amid growing speculation that six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs may quit the party, the party has convened a meeting of its parliamentary board on June 18 and written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking exclusive recognition as the party’s authorised faction in Parliament. This comes even as senior leaders on Wednesday (June 17, 2026) claimed that they have no confirmed information about the whereabouts or intentions of the MPs at the centre of the rumours.

Eknath Shinde, Shrikant Shinde in Delhi amid ‘Operation Tiger’ buzz

At a press conference held in New Delhi, Shiv Sena UBT MPs Sanjay Raut, Arvind Sawant, and Anil Desai responded to the media about the speculations on ‘Operation Tiger’.

Mr. Raut claimed that Maharashtra’s MPs are being bought for ₹50 crore and that they sat in a plane only after they received ₹15 crore. “For now, we are all together, rest I don’t know,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sushama Andhare claimed that the leaders were accompanied to New Delhi by the leaders of Shiv Sena.

“We don’t know where they are at this point. All these MPs were elected on the face of the undivided Shiv Sena founder, Bal Thackeray, and the hard work of Sena (UBT) chief, Uddhav Thackeray. They were elected by voters of the Shiv Sena (UBT). Similar things are happening, be it in Bengal, there is no point in fighting elections,” Mr. Raut said, adding that “this time Maharashtra’s people won’t spare the traitors”.

Speculation that six MPs from the Shiv Sena (UBT) are likely to quit the party and form a separate group has been circulating for some time now. These leaders were absent from the meeting at Mr. Thackeray’s residence. The list of MPs includes Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, and Omraje Nimbalkar.

Mr. Desai and Mr. Sawant, at the same press held in New Delhi, also said they are bein