Mumbai

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde on Friday denied media reports claiming he held a secret meeting with MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) faction.

Calling the reports “baseless and malicious,” Shinde said no such meeting had taken place. He stated that rumours about UBT MPs joining his faction have been circulating for over a year and a half but have no truth. He also urged the media to avoid publishing sensational and misleading reports.

The clarification came after reports suggested that seven UBT MPs were in contact with Shinde as part of a plan reportedly named “Operation Tiger.” It was claimed that a secret meeting took place in Thane on Wednesday night, where Shinde and his son, MP Shrikant Shinde, allegedly met several MPs and held discussions till early Thursday morning.

Names mentioned in the reports included Arvind Sawant, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, and Rajabhau Waje, while Omraje Nimbalkar was said to have joined virtually. The reports created a political stir across Maharashtra.

Several UBT leaders dismissed the claims. Arvind Sawant reaffirmed loyalty to Uddhav Thackeray and ruled out joining Shinde. Omraje Nimbalkar demanded proof, calling the reports old rumours. Sanjay Jadhav said he was in Pune with no contact. Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Sanjay Deshmukh also denied attending any meeting. The issue surfaced soon after a meeting at ‘Matoshree,’ where MPs pledged support to Thackeray, while Shinde’s camp termed the reports mere rumours.