Maharashtra
Uddhav camp under pressure as ‘hybrid’ turnout of MPs triggers fresh speculation
Mumbai, June 15: A meeting convened by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence ‘Matoshree’ over the weekend has triggered fresh speculation over possible defections within the party’s Lok Sabha ranks, after several MPs remained absent in person.
While party managers aggressively spun a narrative of a unified front, the physical absence of the majority of its Lok Sabha MPs has exposed deep structural vulnerabilities in the Thackeray camp
Of the party’s 9 Lok Sabha MPs, only 4 were physically present at the meeting held on Sunday. The remaining 5 participated via video conference or phone, a “hybrid” arrangement that the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena (Shinde Sena) immediately mocked.
“Uddhav Thackeray ran his government via Facebook Lives. Now his MPs are doing the same,” jeered Shinde Sena spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre. “This shows their hold over the party.
The emergency meeting was called against the backdrop of whispering campaigns regarding “Operation Tiger” — a coordinated effort by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena leader to engineer a second major split in the Sena legacy.
For the MahaYuti alliance, poaching Thackeray’s lawmakers is an existential and constitutional imperative. Under the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, a breakaway faction requires a two-thirds majority to bypass the anti-defection law and avoid disqualification. If Shinde woos just six MPs, he legally decimates Thackeray’s standing in Parliament, rendering the UBT faction a legislative rump and cementing his own claim as the absolute, legitimate successor to Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy.
It would also deliver a near-fatal psychological blow to the UBT group as the Supreme Court continues to deliberate on the validity of the original 2022 split.
While Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut dismissed the defection rumours, threatening a retaliatory “Operation Wolf” to poach Shinde legislators, insiders admit that the hunter currently possesses far more bait than the prey.
Thackeray’s MPs are facing a triple bind of structural pressures. Being in opposition is an expensive affair, especially ahead of crucial municipal and state assembly elections. Parbhani MP Sanjay Jadhav raised eyebrows last month by candidly noting, “Economic calculations are important during polls… it is impossible to say what will happen next.”
Ground-level politicians are finding it structurally exhausting to match the deep-pocketed machinery of the ruling BJP-Shinde alliance. As a member of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition alongside Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP, the UBT faction faces territorial concessions. MPs fear that sacrificing local assembly segments or municipal wards to allies to maintain coalition unity will permanently erode their foundational vote banks.
Despite Uddhav Thackeray becoming significantly more accessible post-2022, a persistent grievance remains among rural and semi-urban MPs who feel the party’s inner circle is heavily dominated by Mumbai-centric leaders.
Sanjay Raut spent the post-meeting press conference painstakingly detailing the personal emergencies of the five absent lawmakers: a daughter’s wedding preparations for Yavatmal MP Sanjay Deshmukh, a hospitalised wife for Shirdi MP Bhausaheb Wakchoure, and local MLC election duties for Hingoli MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar. Yet, party insiders remain deeply anxious.
The leadership had reportedly instructed all MPs to remain in Mumbai through the weekend, expecting them to use Aaditya Thackeray’s birthday on Saturday as a public demonstration of undivided loyalty. The failure of five MPs to show up in person over those two days has been interpreted by many within Matoshree as passive defiance.
Compounding the anxiety are recent footprints of political signalling. In recent weeks, MP Ashtikar was spotted visiting Chief Minister Shinde’s official residence, Nashik MP Rajabhau Waje held a quiet meeting with the CM’s son, Shrikant Shinde, and Shirdi’s Wakchaure met with State Industries Minister Uday Samant.
Against this backdrop, Uddhav Thackeray’s immediate challenge is to transition from defensive damage control to active grievance redressing. The political observers remarked that if Matoshree cannot guarantee robust financial backing and absolute territorial protection for its regional satraps within the MVA framework, the “hybrid” presence in party meetings may soon solidify into permanent physical exits.
“Operation Tiger” is far from dead; it is simply waiting for the political temperature in Maharashtra to hit the boiling point.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Additional manpower to be deployed for birth certificate applications: Additional Municipal Commissioner Prajakta Verma Lovengere

Mumbai: Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Prajakta Varmalawangire has directed the deployment of additional manpower to ensure prompt processing of birth certificate applications in areas falling under Zone 5 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) such as Mankhurd, Shivaji Nagar, Kurla and Chembur. He also directed that the working hours of Citizen Facilitation Centres be increased for the approval of these applications. Today (July 25, 2026), Lavangare reviewed the operations of the health department in the administrative wards of Zone 5 at the BMC’s M West Ward Office in Chembur. The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner (Public Health) Sharad Oghade, Deputy Commissioner (Zone 5) Scindia. Assistant Commissioner (M-East) Ujjwal Angole, Assistant Commissioner (M-West) Shankar Bhosale, and Executive Health Officer (Public Health Department) Dr. Daksha Shah. EML Varad East West wards need more effort to process applications related to birth certificates. Varmalawangire directed that applications should be accepted at the Citizen Facilitation Centres from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM to provide relief to the citizens. He further directed that these centres should remain open on Sundays for the convenience of the public. Assistant Commissioners at the administrative ward level should depute additional manpower to process the applications of the citizens, thus enabling a large number of applications to be processed. Varmalawangire directed that the applications should be processed and resolved within the shortest possible time after they are submitted. Software is being developed by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to handle applications for new birth certificates and corrections in existing ones. The software will facilitate submission of application details and uploading of relevant documents, while it will also include a dashboard. He directed that the software and dashboard be used to ensure maximum transparency in the birth certificate application process. He also directed that applications related to educational matters be given priority. A large number of applications are being submitted for QR code-based birth certificates required for overseas education and visa processing. He directed that these be resolved immediately.
During today’s meeting, Additional Municipal Commissioner Prajakta Vermalongare reviewed the status of Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects, monsoon-related disease incidents, and capacity expansion and repair works in maternity homes and suburban hospitals. He issued necessary instructions to the health department. The performance of Lokmanya Tilak General Hospital (Saiyan), Govind Shatabdi Hospital, and Maa Hospital (Chembur) was also reviewed. Prajakta Verma-Lawangire directed the department heads to conduct regular reviews to ensure transparency in the functioning of the health administration and prompt resolution of civic issues. He also directed the Assistant Commissioners within the zones to conduct regular site visits.
Maharashtra
‘Victory celebration’ on students’ victory in Mumbai… Demand for action against policemen who tortured students still incomplete: Uddhav Thackeray

A victory celebration has been announced in Mumbai for the historic victory of the students. The protest will continue even after the demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar is met, this stance has been issued by Kakroch Janata Party leader Abhijit Deepke. The victory celebration will now be celebrated with a tricolor march in Mumbai. This was announced by MNS chief Raj Thackeray at a press conference here. He said that now a stage will be prepared near Shivaji Park and the crowd will gather there. There will be no march till Siddhi Vinayak. Raj Thackeray said that this is a big success for the students, this march has been organized to celebrate it. Uddhav Thackeray said that the way Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation was accepted, his department was not changed after his resignation, this has not been clarified yet, along with this, the students are not satisfied with the resignation itself, the demand for action against the police personnel and officers who tortured the students by registering a case has not been fulfilled. The way the students were brutalized is completely wrong, but the students were steadfast and not only that, they endured hardships during the protest and this is the reason why the government had to bow down before these students. Uddhav Thackeray said that the way the government thought that it would not bow down before anyone, but the students forced it, a victory celebration will be celebrated in Mumbai to express sympathy with the students and a traditional tricolor rally will be held. Uddhav Thackeray said that a future plan of action should be prepared after talking to Abhijeet Deepika.
Maharashtra
Mumbai Shivaji Park Tricolor March: Important meeting of senior officers with Police Commissioner, police security arrangements tightened, necessary instructions issued

Mumbai: Police are also ready for the Tricolour rally in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. To express sympathy with the student protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, Thackeray brother has organized a Tricolour march in which lakhs of protesters are expected to participate. In such a situation, the police have also claimed to have made strict security arrangements in the area. The police are being vigilant and are monitoring the situation to ensure that no untoward incident occurs during the Tricolour march. Along with monitoring the route for the Tricolour march, a meeting of senior officers including the Additional Police Commissioner was also held today under the chairmanship of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti, in which instructions were also issued to ensure security arrangements related to order and protest demonstration. There is a long series of protests at Shivaji Park in Mumbai city. It has also been identified where protesters can gather in Shivaji Park during the Tricolour March in Mumbai city and suburbs. In addition, protests have started across the state. In the case of NET exam paper leak, students have demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dhirendra Pradhan and the students are standing by their stand. The police are also on alert due to the Tricolour March in Mumbai city and suburbs. Police deployment has also been ensured on the traffic route during the protest demonstration in Shivaji Park, along with necessary orders have also been issued. The police have taken necessary steps due to the protests of students in Mumbai and the state, along with necessary instructions have also been issued to senior police officers in this regard. It is estimated that students from other areas of Mumbai such as Kurla, Chambor, Byculla, Andheri, Malad Maloni, Jogeshwari and other areas are also participating in the protest. Attempts to disrupt or disrupt the Tricolour March are tolerable. If anyone does so, they will be given a response, MNS chief Raj Thackeray has warned, saying that if there is an attempt to disrupt the situation in Mumbai on the lines of Delhi, it will not be tolerated at all. Protests are ongoing in Mumbai, and the police are also on alert.
-
Crime4 years agoClass 10 student jumps to death in Jaipur
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMumbai Local Train Update: Central Railway’s New Timetable Comes Into Effect; Check Full List Of Revised Timings & Stations
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City
-
Maharashtra2 years agoFalse photo of Imtiaz Jaleel’s rally, exposing the fooling conspiracy
-
National News2 years agoMinistry of Railways rolls out Special Drive 4.0 with focus on digitisation, cleanliness, inclusiveness and grievance redressal
-
Maharashtra2 years agoMaharashtra Elections 2024: Mumbai Metro & BEST Services Extended Till Midnight On Voting Day
-
National News2 years agoJ&K: 4 Jawans Killed, 28 Injured After Bus Carrying BSF Personnel For Poll Duty Falls Into Gorge In Budgam; Terrifying Visuals Surface
-
Crime2 years agoBaba Siddique Murder: Mumbai Police Unable To Get Lawrence Bishnoi Custody Due To Home Ministry Order, Says Report
