Internal Rift Widens in UBT Sena Following Merger Speculation

Jadhav, a leader from the rival Shiv Sena camp, asserted that the remarks alienated UBT party members, including MLAs and municipal councillors, who now view their leadership with profound suspicion. This internal friction coincides with the 60th foundation day of the Shiv Sena, an event marked by sharp rhetorical exchanges between the two splintered groups. Maharashtra Minister Gulabrao Patil intensified the pressure, accusing Uddhav Thackeray of abandoning the party’s original ideology in favor of a political marriage with Congress.

Adding to the volatility, reports of a potential 'Operation Tiger' have surfaced, with MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi claiming that six UBT MPs have already signaled their shift toward Eknath Shinde’s faction. While Thackeray publicly dismissed the merger rumors during a Friday address—vowing to step down if accusations against him are proven true—the narrative of a looming second split continues to dominate Maharashtra’s political discourse. The UBT leadership now faces the dual challenge of containing internal dissent and defending its autonomy against persistent claims that it has been subsumed by its alliance partners.