Nagpur: Maharashtra's Minister of State for Finance, Ashish Jaiswal, a key figure in the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction, has indicated that the party's 'Operation Tiger'—a strategy to recruit dissident legislators from the Uddhav Thackeray-led UBT Sena—will be disclosed at an opportune moment. Drawing a direct comparison with the June 20, 2022, split that propelled Eknath Shinde to the chief minister's post, Jaiswal made these remarks in an exclusive interview with TOI on Monday.
Operation Tiger: A Secret Move
Speaking in Nagpur, Jaiswal stated, 'In a few days, the anniversary of the 2022 kranti (revolution) is approaching. That was a top-secret operation. Such matters are not discussed publicly, and certainly not in advance.' He refrained from providing further details, echoing the secrecy that surrounded the 2022 rebellion.
Former Ramtek MP Krupal Tumane, also from the Shinde faction, claimed that seven UBT MPs and several MLAs are in contact with their party. 'Operation Tiger will be executed before the monsoon session of the state assembly ends,' he told TOI. The monsoon session is scheduled from June 22 to July 10.
Speculation and Parallels
Speculation about defections from UBT Sena has intensified following a rebellion in Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress. On Sunday, UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray summoned his MPs to Matoshree, but nearly half joined online, fueling rumors of discontent.
Jaiswal explained that the 2022 split was driven by a 'larger purpose'—to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hand. When asked if a similar scenario could unfold now, he remained cautious: 'People switch sides for various reasons. Everyone has a political future. Wherever someone feels suffocated, they make decisions accordingly. How parties treat their own MPs and what those MPs decide is for them to work out.' He did not deny that many UBT elected members are in touch with Shinde-Sena.
Row Over Shinde's Name Omission
Jaiswal also addressed the controversy over Deputy CM Shinde's name being omitted from an invitation card at a Navi Mumbai event, calling it a serious oversight. 'This was not expected. Discussions have occurred at the senior level. Everyone in Mahayuti must maintain mutual respect. I am confident such an incident will not recur,' he said.
Confidence in Mahayuti Sweep
On the upcoming legislative council elections on June 18, Jaiswal predicted a clean sweep for the Mahayuti alliance and dismissed Congress as a spent force. 'Congress is in a coma. After the MLC election results, their morale will break further. I am confident most people currently in Congress will leave the party,' he asserted.
Stay updated with the latest Nagpur news. Download the TOI App.
