Amid rumours of cracks in Shiv Sena (UBT), senior leader and MP Rajabhau Waje's meeting with BJP MLAs and office bearers has set tongues wagging in Maharashtra. Waje, a Thackeray faction MP from Nashik, met BJP's city president and district president on Saturday, triggering rumours about 'Operation Tiger' in the state.
Waje first visited BJP MLA Devyani Farande at her residence where both leaders discussed various issues. The MP also paid a goodwill visit to BJP MLA Seema Hiray. Waje also visited BJP office bearers, including BJP district president Sunil Bachhav and city president Prashant Jadhav.
However, the MP snubbed rumours of jumping ship, stating he met the MLAs to discuss steps for the city's development and planning for the upcoming Kumbh Mela. "Once elected, a public representative is a representative of every citizen in the constituency. If all the public representatives of Nashik work as a team for Nashik's development and the upcoming Kumbh Mela, we can achieve good results," Waje defended his visit to reporters.
However, the visit comes amid rumours that six MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray camp are in touch with the Eknath Shinde camp of Shiv Sena and may soon switch sides. Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale stoked controversy by claiming that 10 to 15 MLAs of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress are likely to join the incumbent Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena.
नाशिकच्या आगामी विकासाच्या दृष्टिकोनातून तसेच कुंभमेळ्याच्या अनुषंगाने आमदार सीमाताई हिरे,आमदार देवयानीताई फरांदे,भाजपा जिल्हाध्यक्ष सुनीलजी बच्छाव, शहराध्यक्ष प्रशांतजी जाधव, महेशजी हिरे, विजयजी साने, सुनीलजी केदार आदी मान्यवरांची भेट घेतली. pic.twitter.com/0jFozcNLJp
— Rajabhau Waje (@RajabhauW) March 14, 2025
Political earthquake
The state is likely to witness more political upheavals after the Congress has openly invited the Shinde faction and the NCP to join hands with them to form the government. Senior Congress leader Nana Patole has offered the CM post to both Shinde and Ajit Pawar.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar seems to approve of Patole's offer, stating there was no permanent enemy in politics. "Eknath Shinde has great potential. That was why he could break Shiv Sena and form his own party in 2022. But, how he has now been thrown aside from the grand alliance is very disappointing. Therefore, there is a possibility of a reversal in the politics of the state. If someone's self-respect has been hurt, then he should definitely take a decision," Wadettiwar told reporters.
