SHIV Sena (UBT) has issued a whip to its MPs to attend a meeting on Thursday in New Delhi to discuss “important issues”, amid growing speculation of an imminent rebellion in the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, sources said on Wednesday. The party can initiate disqualification proceedings against those who skip the meeting, they said. Notably, the party had issued a similar whip when 39 MLAs led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde rebelled against the Sena leadership in 2022, following which disqualification proceedings were initiated against them. The Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) is staring at a crisis, with “six to seven” of its nine Lok Sabha MPs inclined to switch to the Shinde-led ruling Shiv Sena and camping in the national capital, sources said on Tuesday. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who is camping in Delhi, in a post on X, took a swipe at those planning to rebel against the party leadership, saying “everything will be accounted for”.

 

“Why are you calling escape of timid wolves as Operation Tiger?” he asked. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has been trying to downplay the speculation of an ‘Operation Tiger’ being afoot to poach party MPs. Notably, the mascot of the undivided Shiv Sena was a tiger drawn by party founder Balasaheb Thackeray. Meanwhile, Sena (UBT) MP from Nashik, Rajabhau Waje, asserted on Wednesday that he was with the Uddhav Thackeray camp. Talking to a news channel, Waje said he was on his way to Delhi to attend the parliamentary committee meeting on industry scheduled at 3 pm on Wednesday. “I am with Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). No one has contacted me and I am not in touch with anyone,” the MP said when asked about his political stand. Asked if he was aware of the (Sena) UBT parliamentary party meeting and the whip issued for it, Waje said the meeting is scheduled on Thursday, and he would stay back in Delhi to attend it.