Shiv Sena UBT targets absentee MPs with disqualification threat

The internal rupture within the party reached a critical juncture on Thursday as the UBT leadership moved to curb what it describes as 'Operation Tiger,' a covert effort by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena to absorb its remaining parliamentarians. The six absent members—Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, and Bhausaheb Wakchaure—now face an ultimatum: provide a written justification for their absence or be treated as having voluntarily relinquished their party membership.

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has spearheaded the aggressive legal response, signaling the party's intent to push for parliamentary expulsion. During a press conference, Raut expressed confidence that the Speaker would uphold Supreme Court directives and the Anti-Defection Law, effectively stripping the six MPs of their seats. The maneuver follows claims by Shiv Sena MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi, who asserted that the group has already pledged loyalty to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, further deepening the divide within the organization.