News Desk - Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs skipped a crucial parliamentary party meeting, triggering fresh speculation that the party’s Lok Sabha ranks are heading toward another split. The development has become politically significant because the missing MPs are reportedly part of a group that may be moving closer to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, making the internal crisis much more serious than a routine absence.

The absent MPs were Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar and Bhausaheb Wakchaure. Reports say they had signed a letter seeking a separate grouping and may be moving toward a merger with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, though the Speaker’s verification process is still underway. In response, Shiv Sena (UBT) issued a whip directing all MPs to attend the meeting, and party leaders warned that disciplinary action would follow for anyone who remained absent. The episode has been described in the media as part of “Operation Tiger 2.0,” a renewed effort to pull away MPs from Uddhav Thackeray’s camp. The fact that six of nine Lok Sabha MPs skipped the meeting has led observers to say the split now appears imminent.

For Shiv Sena (UBT), this is more than a routine absence it is a serious political and organisational setback. The next step will depend on how the party handles the rebels and whether the Speaker confirms the reported split.