Operation Tiger is successful, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Sunday (June 21, 2026), adding he had never left any operation incomplete. Two of the six Lok Sabha members of the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Sunday (June 21, 2026) announced that they were slated to join Mr. Shinde. Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP from Hingoli, and Omraje Nimbalkar, the party MP from Dharashiv, cited lack of development funds as one of the primary reasons for taking the decision. Mr. Ashtikar blamed the Shiv Sena UBT leaders for speaking ill against them, claiming that they took the decision only after Uddhav Thackeray’s party leaders spoke in a derogatory manner against them. “Till June 18, we had not taken any decision,” he said in a video statement.

Meanwhile, top sources in the Shiv Sena confirmed to The Hindu that all the six MPs of the Shiv Sena (UBT) had already signed a letter forming a separate group, and had also met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. They are slated to merge with the Shiv Sena, a senior leader said. “There were quite a few obstacles at the last minute. But we have successfully overcome them. We had support from the central BJP leadership,” a leader told