Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has launched Operation Tiger to recruit nine [1] Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha members into his faction.

This political maneuver aims to shift the balance of power in the Lok Sabha and secure a stronger position for Shinde before the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections. The operation targets the parliamentary wing of the party led by Uddhav Thackeray.

Shinde announced the initiative during a two-day [1] visit to Delhi on March 18, 2026. The strategy focuses on winning over lawmakers to increase the party's tally in the lower house of Parliament. "Operation Tiger is aimed at strengthening our position in the Lok Sabha," Shinde said [1].

The campaign intensified in early April 2026 as the state prepared for Legislative Council polls. However, reports regarding the execution of the plan have been contradictory. Some reports indicated that Shinde met with the targeted Lok Sabha MPs during his time in Delhi to facilitate their defection.

Shinde later disputed these accounts of direct engagement. "I have not held any such meeting," Shinde said [2], denying that he had met with the MPs in question.

Despite the denial, the political effort to woo leaders from the Thackeray faction remained a central point of contention in Maharashtra's political landscape. The strategy underscores the ongoing fragmentation of the Shiv Sena, and the competitive nature of state-level power struggles in India.

“"Operation Tiger is aimed at strengthening our position in the Lok Sabha,"”

The launch of Operation Tiger highlights the volatile nature of coalition politics in Maharashtra, where party loyalty is often secondary to strategic alignment. By targeting Lok Sabha MPs, Shinde is not only seeking numerical strength in national legislation but is also attempting to erode the legitimacy and influence of Uddhav Thackeray's leadership before critical state council elections.