New Delhi: As renewed rumours of internal discord within Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) make rounds, nine Lok Sabha MPs who met at the party chief Uddhav Thackeray’s residence, Matoshree, in Mumbai on June 14 have strongly denied reports of a split. The meeting also saw Rajya Sabha member of parliament Sanjay Raut.The speculation, often referred to in political circles as “Operation Tiger,” intensified in recent days with claims that six to seven of the nine Sena (UBT) MPs are allegedly exploring a switch to the ruling Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena camp and eventually join the broader NDA alliance. Such a move, if involving at least six MPs (two-thirds of the parliamentary strength), could potentially allow a merger without immediate disqualification under anti-defection rules.According to Raut, all nine participated in the meeting – four in person and five virtually. Those attending online cited valid reasons, such as family illnesses, a wedding, constituency work related to MLC elections, and prior commitments, Raut claimed. “Four MPs were physically present, while five joined online,” Raut told reporters. He dismissed rumours of defections as baseless and emphasised that the MPs remain united behind Thackeray. History of splitsThis development comes nearly four years after the major 2022 split in Shiv Sena, when Shinde led a rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, claiming majority support among MLAs. The Election Commission of India later recognised Shinde’s faction as the original Shiv Sena, awarding it the party name and bow-and-arrow symbol. Thackeray’s group rebranded as Shiv Sena (UBT) and aligned with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) opposition alliance comprising Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Sena (UBT) secured nine seats as part of the MVA. The faction has faced challenges since, including a reduced presence in the Maharashtra assembly (around 20 seats) following the 2024 state polls, where the ruling Mahayuti alliance (BJP-Shinde Sena-NCP Ajit Pawar) achieved a landslide victory. According to several media reports, at least six UBT MPs have been planning the jump to Shinde camp, keeping the 2029 elections in mind. Union minister Prataprao Jadhav from the Shinde Sena publicly suggested that several UBT MPs could join their side. Any shift of UBT MPs to the Shinde-led faction, which is a part of the ruling NDA alliance, would add to the government’s effective strength in the Lok Sabha. It will also potentially ease the path to secure the special majority needed for the pending Delimitation Bill (and related constitutional amendments) in the upcoming monsoon session.