Amit Shah Declares Eknath Shinde Leads Unified Shiv Sena

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced in Kolhapur that the Shiv Sena is no longer divided into factions and now exists as a single entity led by Eknath Shinde. Shah's declaration follows a series of defections from the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, known as Operation Tiger, in which six of nine Lok Sabha MPs reportedly crossed over to the Shinde camp. By defecting as a group of six, these MPs meet the two-thirds threshold required under anti-defection laws to avoid disqualification.

In response, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray rejected Shah's claims, asserting that his own leadership represents the only legitimate party and accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of attempting to dismantle regional parties. While Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Whip Anil Desai issued show-cause notices to the absent MPs, Thackeray called a meeting of party MLAs in Mumbai and planned a statewide outreach campaign starting June 27 to reconnect with party workers.

During his visit to Kolhapur, Shah also laid the foundation stone for the modernization of the Mata Ambabai Temple complex, describing the redevelopment of Jyotirlingas and Shakti Peeth across Maharashtra as a matter of pride.