Not a single MLA will leave: Sharad Pawar assures stability amid ‘Op Tiger’ shockwaves

Pune, June 25, 2026
Asserting total control over his legislative flock, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday dismissed rumours of an impending rebellion within his party ranks. Speaking to reporters while accompanied by his grandnephew Yugendra Pawar, the veteran politician clarified, “Not a single one of our MLAs is going anywhere.”

Pawar’s statements come at a time when Maharashtra’s political circles are on high alert following a massive political earthquake. Over the weekend, Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief leader Eknath Shinde’s faction successfully executed a coordinated defection dubbed ‘Operation Tiger’, engineering the exit of six out of nine Lok Sabha Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).

The massive defection has drastically altered the numbers in Parliament and sent shockwaves through the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, sparking fears that the ruling Mahayuti alliance –comprising the BJP, Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP — might next target Sharad Pawar’s remaining 10 MLAs.

Meanwhile, with a defiant dig at rival leaders like NCP (Ajit Pawar) legislator Baba Atram, who claimed that the Sharad Pawar faction’s remaining MPs are ready to split, NCP(SP) MP Supriya Sule threw down an open gauntlet: “Give us the five names you claim are leaving. If you can’t, stop the rumors. Or better yet, invite us—all eight of our remaining MPs will show up together. Why don’t they ever dare to invite me to these discussions?”

Addressing reports regarding the absence of 13 MLAs from a recent crucial MVA meeting, Sule clarified that the MLAs had already informed party state chief Shashikant Shinde in advance, dismissing any speculation of an internal rift.

She also reaffirmed the strength of the national INDIA bloc and state-level MVA alliance. “I spend a lot of time in Delhi. The opposition alliance is incredibly robust. We meet at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s office every single morning at 10:00 AM to align our daily strategy, floor management, and speakers,” said Sule.

Sule emphasised that political rivalries should be kept out of the cooperative sectors. “Take the Mumbai Bank elections, for example – people from all political parties coexist there. Co-ops and financial institutions shouldn’t be turned into political battlegrounds,” she said. Sule also targeted the Central government over reports that the history of the 1975 Emergency would be aggressively introduced into school textbooks.

“Education experts are ringing alarm bells that the government is repeatedly misusing the NCERT. Forcing a singular political ideology onto the next generation is highly dangerous for the unity and intellectual growth of our country.”

Reacting sharply to reports that the six rebel UBT parliamentarians originally intended to join the BJP but were steered toward Dy CM Shinde’s camp through the backroom intervention of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Sule launched a scathing attack on the ruling dispensation. “I honestly wonder if democracy has ceased to exist in this country. Breaking homes and splitting parties has become the norm. These MPs were elected just two and a half years ago, and the next general elections are scheduled for 2029. What was the absolute hurry?” Sule questioned.

Sule reminded the ruling party of democratic traditions, pointing out that opposition parties like Congress have historically offered unanimous support to the government on crucial legislative matters — such as the passage of the GST bill — without requiring political coercion. “What is the need for such vandalism and destruction of parties? If there is no opposition left and everyone joins the government, who will speak for the common citizens?” she asked.(Agency)