Uddhav Thackeray Draws Line As MPs Switch To Shinde Camp: ‘Only One Shiv Sena’

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has sought to reassert control over his party’s political message after fresh defections by MPs weakened the faction’s parliamentary strength and raised concerns over a wider crossover ahead of crucial civic battles in Maharashtra.

Addressing party workers during an outreach programme in Mumbai’s North East parliamentary constituency on Sunday, Thackeray said the Shiv Sena’s legacy was rooted in the protection of Marathi interests. He argued that there could be “only one Shiv Sena”, despite the Election Commission recognising the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the official party after the 2022 split.

“Shiv Sena's political legacy was built around protecting the rights of Marathi people and there could be only one Shiv Sena. In 2024 we fought against Prime Minister Narendra Modi led alliance and still won with people's support. Now by defecting for power and money these MPs betrayed party and people,” Thackeray said.

Uddhav Thackeray begins outreach after MP defections

Thackeray’s decision to start the outreach drive from Mumbai North East was politically significant. The constituency is represented by Sanjay Dina Patil, one of the MPs whose position has come under scrutiny amid reports of defections from the Thackeray camp to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

The latest turmoil comes after two of the six rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs formally announced their decision to join the Eknath Shinde-led party on Sunday. The move has been seen as a major setback for Thackeray, who rebuilt his political campaign around loyalty, Marathi identity and opposition to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance after the original party split.

Dharashiv MP Omraje Nimbalkar’s reported decision to switch followed days of uncertainty over his next step. He had earlier indicated that he would take a decision after the verdict in the murder case of his father, Pawanraje Nimbalkar. A sessions court acquitted all accused in the case on Saturday.

Hingoli MP Nagesh Ashtikar also announced his decision through a Facebook Live address. The twin developments have added pressure on the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership, especially because more MPs are expected to decide their political course in the coming days.

Why the defections matter for Shiv Sena (UBT)

The immediate numerical impact is important, but the larger political signal may matter more. Thackeray’s faction had positioned its 2024 Lok Sabha performance as proof that the party retained public sympathy despite losing the official name and symbol battle. Any post-election defection risks weakening that claim.

The Shiv Sena split in 2022 after Eknath Shinde led a rebellion against Thackeray, then chief minister of Maharashtra. Shinde later formed the government with BJP support and became chief minister. The Election Commission subsequently allotted the Shiv Sena name and bow-and-arrow symbol to the Shinde faction, while Thackeray’s group became Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).

Since then, both sides have fought over legacy, organisation and cadre loyalty. Thackeray has repeatedly framed the dispute as a battle to preserve Bal Thackeray’s political inheritance. The Shinde camp has argued that it represents the original Hindutva and organisational line of the Shiv Sena.

The latest defections also have practical implications inside Parliament. If more MPs cross over, the Thackeray faction’s ability to claim a sizeable independent voice in the Lok Sabha will shrink. It could also affect morale among district-level leaders, corporators and aspirants preparing for local body elections.

Operation Tiger and the BMC factor

The defections are being discussed in Maharashtra’s political circles as part of the Shinde faction’s so-called “Operation Tiger”. The phrase has been used by party leaders to describe efforts to bring elected representatives from Shiv Sena (UBT) into the ruling camp, particularly after the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.

The plan is not limited to MPs. Reports of possible movement among former Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation corporators have created fresh anxiety in the Thackeray camp. The BMC is not just India’s richest civic body; it has also been central to the Shiv Sena’s political identity and organisational power in Mumbai for decades.

Shiv Sena leader Amey Ghole claimed that a larger group of corporators from the Thackeray faction was willing to join the Shinde camp. “Not 25, but at least 45 corporators are aspiring to join us. Forty-five is the magic figure because it constitutes two-thirds of the strength. Sanjay Raut had dismissed reports of MPs defecting as rumours, but that happened eventually,” Ghole said.

The two-thirds figure is politically important because anti-defection provisions can apply when elected representatives leave a party. A large enough group may try to argue that it constitutes a valid split or merger under the law, though such questions often depend on the forum, facts and legal interpretation involved.

For Thackeray, the challenge is now both emotional and organisational. His appeal to Marathi pride is aimed at the party’s traditional support base in Mumbai and Maharashtra’s urban centres. But he also needs to prevent a perception that elected representatives see better prospects with the ruling alliance.

The Shinde faction, backed by its position in government and alliance with the BJP, is trying to consolidate the Sena space before civic polls. The Thackeray camp is countering by turning defections into a loyalty issue and asking voters to distinguish between the party’s original social base and leaders who change sides.

The next phase of this contest will likely play out in Mumbai’s wards, parliamentary constituencies and local party shakhas. For now, Thackeray’s message is clear: the fight over the Shiv Sena name may have moved through institutions and courts, but the battle for its political inheritance remains firmly on the ground.