'6 Tigers Are Here': Rebel Uddhav Sena MPs Join Eknath Shinde Camp in Major Political Shake-Up

Six Shiv Sena MPs who had been aligned with Uddhav Thackeray's faction have crossed over to Eknath Shinde's camp, with the announcement accompanied by the pointed declaration: '6 Tigers are here.' The defections represent a fresh blow to the Uddhav Sena, which has been locked in a prolonged legal and political battle with Shinde's group over control of the Shiv Sena name, symbol, and organisational machinery.

The Shinde faction has consistently worked to attract lawmakers and leaders from the Thackeray camp since the dramatic split of 2022, when Shinde led a rebellion that toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Each successive defection erodes the Uddhav Sena's parliamentary headcount and its bargaining power in coalition negotiations.

The timing of the announcement — with its Tiger imagery deliberately invoking Shiv Sena's traditional iconography — signals that the Shinde camp is actively using symbolism to assert that it, and not Thackeray, represents the true spirit of Bal Thackeray's party. The move is likely to intensify pressure on remaining Uddhav Sena MPs.

Political observers note that with Maharashtra assembly and local body elections on the horizon, consolidating parliamentary numbers is a key priority for both factions. The Uddhav Sena is expected to challenge these defections legally, though the Election Commission's earlier ruling in favour of Shinde has made such challenges increasingly difficult to sustain.