‘Operation Lotus’ vs ‘Operation Tiger’: churn in Maharashtra amid merger talk

Political turbulence in Maharashtra appears to be deepening, with the BJP reportedly preparing for a fresh round of 'Operation Lotus', even as the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is said to be working on a parallel 'Operation Tiger' to expand its influence within the state’s shifting alliance landscape.

Speculation gathered pace after two MPs from the Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray faction — Nagesh Ashtikar from Nanded and Sanjay Deshmukh from Yavatmal-Washim — attended a dinner hosted in Delhi by Union minister Prataprao Jadhav of the Shinde camp, widely seen as an exercise in quiet political outreach.

In Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut added to the churn by claiming at a press conference that between 25 and 30 MLAs from the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) could eventually merge with the BJP. Raut further suggested that not only the NCP faction but also the Shinde-led Shiv Sena could ultimately be absorbed into the BJP, signalling what he described as a possible realignment of political forces in the state.

Meanwhile, NCP (Ajit Pawar) chief and deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar is in Delhi at a time when reports suggest internal manoeuvring within her party following her husband Ajit Pawar’s death in a recent air crash. Sunetra is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah during the visit.

According to media reports, discussions around 'Operation Tiger' gained momentum after Shinde met Shah in Delhi earlier and returned to Mumbai amid speculation that efforts were underway to attract MPs from both the Shiv Sena's Thackeray faction and the NCP (Sharad Pawar) camp.

Following reports of possible defections, Uddhav Thackeray convened a meeting with party MPs at his residence Matoshree, where they were asked to reaffirm their loyalty to the party. Despite this, two of the party’s MPs met Jadhav in Delhi on Thursday. Ashtikar later said he shared an old association with Jadhav and that accepting an invitation for a courtesy dinner should not be viewed as politically significant.

Sources indicate that the BJP had earlier advised the Shinde faction not to target the Sharad Pawar group as part of Operation Tiger.

The internal situation within the NCP (Ajit Pawar) has reportedly become more fluid after Pawar’s death, with reports of a power struggle involving senior leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare. Sunetra Pawar has written to the Election Commission stating that any communication issued between Ajit Pawar’s death and the formal appointment of a new party president should be treated as null and void. Reports suggest the letter did not refer to Patel or Tatkare by designation.

Given the evolving situation within the party, Sunetra is said to be seeking guidance from Sharad Pawar in order to preserve both the party’s organisational coherence and the political relevance of the Pawar family in Maharashtra politics.

Reports also suggest that Patel and Tatkare have maintained some distance from Sunetra’s Delhi visit, with Tatkare currently in his parliamentary constituency.

Rejecting Raut’s claims, NCP (AP) minister Hasan Mushrif said not a single MLA from Ajit Pawar’s party would defect to another formation. He added that Raut should instead focus on maintaining unity within his own party ranks.

Sources suggest the BJP is wary of the Shinde faction emerging as a parallel centre of power within the ruling arrangement, prompting speculation that 'Operation Lotus' could also be used to reduce Shinde’s leverage. The BJP is also believed to be closely watching developments within the NCP amid indications that the Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar factions could eventually move towards reconciliation or merger.

Amid the political speculation, Ajit Pawar’s son and newly elected Rajya Sabha MP Parth Pawar posted on X defending Patel and Tatkare, stating they were being targeted through baseless narratives and speculative commentary. He said their decades of leadership and contribution would continue to guide the party and described attempts to drag senior leaders into “fabricated controversies” as deeply unfortunate and condemnable.