Uddhav camp MP confirms move to Shinde’s Shiv Sena; 6 crossovers likely
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra): Breaking his silence amid intense political speculation surrounding ‘Operation Tiger’, rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar on Sunday officially confirmed his crossover to the ruling Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The Hingoli Lok Sabha MP is one of several opposition lawmakers rumoured to be switching sides. Speaking publicly for the first time since Skipping the party’s parliamentary meeting in Delhi on June 17, Ashtikar released a video statement clarifying that he and a few other fellow MPs had not finalised any plans until June 18, but were ultimately pushed over the edge by derogatory language used against them by senior Sena (UBT) leadership—an apparent reference to Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.
"I, and some other MPs, had not made any decision until June 18. We had not gone anywhere. However, certain remarks were made against us since Thursday, which made us believe that there is no point in staying here. I have not compromised on my ideology. I have just gone from one Shiv Sena to another," the Hingoli MP stated.
Crushing fund crunch and unfulfilled constituency work
Beyond the hostile rhetoric within the party, Ashtikar strongly emphasised that developmental stagnation in his constituency forced his hand. He noted that being in the opposition completely paralysed his ability to secure funds or execute work for the grassroots party workers who got him elected.
"The work of party workers is not being done as we are not on the side of power. People elected us with a lot of expectation, and getting their work done is my job. But I was not getting any development funds. The Rs 5 crore MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development) fund is very limited," Ashtikar explained, alleging that despite two years of persistent efforts, his constituency received no financial backing from the state. "We need funds, and I have taken this step... I was left with no option."
Retaliation against Sanjay Raut’s ‘Operation Tudwa’ threat
The defection follows a highly volatile press conference by Sanjay Raut, who had openly warned the suspected rebel MPs of physical retaliation—dubbing it 'Operation Tudwa' (thrashing)—if they abandoned Uddhav Thackeray.
While Ashtikar maintained that he was not personally angry with Uddhav Thackeray or Raut, he delivered a sharp counter-warning regarding the caustic language used against elected representatives. "Though he is a fatherly figure and can reprimand, he should understand that everyone has the capacity to reply in kind. Such incidents can take place once in a while. Even he knows the after-effects," Ashtikar said.
The anti-defection numbers game
The development comes at a critical juncture for the Uddhav Thackeray camp, which currently holds 9 seats in the Lok Sabha. To successfully bypass the stringent anti-defection law without facing disqualification, the dissident group requires a minimum two-thirds majority—meaning at least 6 of the 9 MPs must cross over together.
Speculation remains sky-high as six Lok Sabha members—Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar and Ashtikar himself—conspicuously skipped the party's recent parliamentary strategy meeting, signaling that a larger, legally compliant split may be imminent.
PTI