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Rebel Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray oregon UBT) MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar connected Sunday (June 21, 2026) claimed that helium and different members of the enactment had "not gone anywhere" until June 18, but changed their caput aft definite remarks were made against them, successful an evident notation to enactment person Sanjay Raut.
Coming guardant for the archetypal clip since rumours began circulating on 'Operation Tiger', the Hingoli MP confirmed that helium had crossed implicit to the Shiv Sena, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
In a video clip posted connected his societal media handle, Mr. Ashtikar said helium had not compromised connected his ideology and had "just gone from 1 Shiv Sena to another".
He besides cited the deficiency of improvement funds and different disadvantages of being successful Opposition, including the inability to get enactment activists' enactment done, arsenic important reasons for his defection.
"I, and immoderate different MPs [of Sena-UBT], had not made immoderate determination until June 18. We had not gone anywhere. However, definite remarks were made against america since Thursday (June 18, 2026), which made america judge that determination is nary constituent successful staying present [in Sena-UBT]," Mr. Ashtikar said.
He clarified that helium was not upset with Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray oregon Mr. Raut, the astir vocal professional of the dissident MPs, who had utilized cuss words against them during a property conference.
"The enactment of enactment workers is not being done arsenic we are not connected the broadside of power. People elected america with a batch of expectation, and getting their enactment done is my job. But I was not getting immoderate improvement funds. The ₹5 crore MPLAD [Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme] money is precise limited. Considering these factors, I person taken this decision," Mr. Ashtikar claimed.
Despite his champion efforts successful the past 2 years, helium failed to unafraid funds for his Lok Sabha constituency, helium said. "We request funds, and I person taken this step. I volition support moving for the people, and I volition implicit the work assigned to maine by the people,'' helium added.
Apparently referring to the Sena (UBT) leadership, Mr. Ashtikar said immoderate radical mightiness beryllium upset with him, but they would yet recognize his position. "I was near with nary option,'' helium said, adding that helium was not compromising connected his ideology.
"I person not gone anywhere. I conscionable moved from the Shiv Sena to Shiv Sena. People tin explicit their anger, but simultaneously, they should caput their language. I volition not propulsion anyone to travel with me. But I volition basal with them,'' helium said.
Mr. Raut had issued a menace suggesting that rebel MPs would beryllium thrashed by aggravated Shiv Sena workers successful 'Operation Tudwa'. Mr. Ashtikar said Mr. Raut was besides alert of the "after effects".
"Though helium is simply a fatherly fig and tin reprimand, helium should recognize that everyone has the capableness to reply successful kind. Such incidents tin instrumentality spot erstwhile successful a while. Even helium [Raut] knows the aft effects,'' helium said.
Lok Sabha members Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar, and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar skipped the Sena (UBT) parliamentary enactment gathering successful Delhi connected June 17, fuelling speculation that their crossover to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena was imminent.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led enactment has 9 Lok Sabha members. The dissidents tin flight the anti-defection instrumentality if astatine slightest six of them defect.
