Big Jolt To Uddhav Sena: Six UBT MPs Joined Shiv Sena, Claims Shinde Faction MLC

Mumbai: Rumours of a major political upheaval in Maharashtra have once again intensified. Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi claimed on Thursday that six Lok Sabha MPs from the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction have switched sides and joined the Shinde faction.

What did Chandrakant Raghuvanshi say?

Shiv Sena MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi while speaking to the reporters said that "Operation Tiger has taken place in Maharashtra. Today, six MPs expressed their confidence in Eknath Shinde and have joined Shiv Sena...It is good that they joined us. I welcome them."

He further said that if any leader wants to work for the people, he should join the alliance of Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"If we have to do a good job, then there should be some fieldwork. This was the expectation of every representative. And today, if we have to do some work in the country, then we have to go with the Shiv Sena and the BJP. Balasaheb Thackeray was in his heart. And for this, he had self-confidence that if we have to go, then no party is worthy except for Eknath Shinde. And for this, he expressed his faith in the leadership of Eknath Shinde in the Shiv Sena," he added.

#WATCH | Dhule, Maharashtra: Shiv Sena MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi says, "Operation Tiger has taken place in Maharashtra. Today, six MPs expressed their confidence in Eknath Shinde and have joined Shiv Sena... It is good that they joined us. I welcome them." pic.twitter.com/d1coNhcCS7

— ANI (@ANI) June 18, 2026

Are there chances of political crisis like 2022?

Earlier reports indicated that seven of the nine sitting Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MPs are in contact with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and are considering switching sides. This raises the specter of a political crisis reminiscent of the 2022 political crisis, following the potential split in Maharashtra politics known as "Operation Tiger," which split the party into two factions.

What did Prataprao Jadhav say?

Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, saying that the kind of language the Rajya Sabha MP is using is destroying the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction.

"Whatever letter the MPs have given is an internal matter of Shiv Sena (UBT). The Lok Sabha Speaker will take a decision on it," Jadhav said.