Shiv Sena UBT split 2.0: Meet the six MPs set to join Eknath Shinde’s camp today

Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) is facing a fresh political challenge as six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs prepare to join Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena. The move is expected to give the Shinde camp the two-thirds strength required to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law. The development comes amid speculation over 'Operation Tiger', which gained attention after the MPs skipped a Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentary party meeting in Delhi. Here is the list of the six MPs who are set to join Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena at 3 pm today. (Image X)

Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North East) | Sanjay Dina Patil is one of the prominent faces of Shiv Sena (UBT) in Mumbai. A former MLA and current Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai North East, he has played a significant role in the party's suburban network. His likely exit is seen as a major blow to the Thackeray camp in the financial capital. (Image X)

Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani) | A three-term MP from Parbhani, Sanjay Jadhav, has long been regarded as a loyalist of the Thackeray family. He previously represented the Parbhani Assembly constituency before being fielded for the Lok Sabha in 2014. His possible switch is particularly significant as Parbhani remained one of the regions that largely stayed with Uddhav Thackeray after the 2022 split. (Image X)

Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim) | Known locally as ’Sanjay Bhau’, Deshmukh is a first-term Lok Sabha MP from Yavatmal-Washim. He began his political journey in the undivided Shiv Sena and served as the party's Yavatmal district chief in 1998. He won the 2024 Lok Sabha election by defeating the Shinde Sena candidate from the constituency. (Image X)

Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv) | A second-term MP from Dharashiv, Omraje Nimbalkar, comes from a well-known political family in Maharashtra. He first entered electoral politics as an MLA in 2009 and later won the Lok Sabha seat in 2019 and again in 2024. Nimbalkar recently confirmed his decision to join the Shinde-led Shiv Sena after consulting supporters in his constituency. (Image YouTube)

Bhausaheb Wakchaure (Shirdi) | Bhausaheb Wakchaure is a veteran politician and a second-term MP from Ahilyanagar district. Known for raising issues related to farmers, irrigation and rural development, he first entered the Lok Sabha in 2009 from the Shirdi seat. His political career has seen multiple shifts over the years. (Image Facebook)

Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli) | A first-time MP from Hingoli, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, rose through the cooperative sector before entering mainstream politics. He served as chairman of the Hadgaon Agricultural Produce Market Committee and later won the Hadgaon Assembly seat before winning the 2024 Hingoli Lok Sabha election. He has recently confirmed his move to the Shinde camp, saying he had "gone from one Shiv Sena to another" without compromising his ideology, as per the Tribune. (Image Instagram)

What Is 'Operation Tiger'? The developments come amid speculation around a covert operation dubbed "Operation Tiger", under which the six MPs reportedly skipped a Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentary meeting in Delhi. The MPs reportedly approached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as a separate group. If the merger goes through, it will mark one of the biggest setbacks for Uddhav Thackeray's party since the 2022 split. (Image X)