Operation Tiger Banners Appear in Pune Amid Shiv Sena (UBT) Defection Buzz

Shiv Sena Pune city president Pramod Bhangire has installed banners across Pune reading "Operation Tiger – Just Wait and Watch." The move coincides with growing speculation that some Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs could switch to the faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Responding to the defection reports, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut issued a strong statement in Delhi, daring any dissidents to resign openly. Addressing a press conference alongside party MPs Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai, Raut said: "If anyone wants to go, they can resign and leave." He added that the people of Maharashtra would not tolerate such betrayals of trust and demanded that any MPs facing such reports should publicly refute them.