Mumbai, 16 June

(HS): On Tuesday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai denied reports that other party

MPs planned to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction. He emphasized that

party MPs were not under pressure and that all leaders were faithful to Uddhav

Thackeray's leadership.

Desai answered,

There is no such thing. Uddhavji has meetings at regular intervals. All

MPs have expressed trust in Uddhav ji's leadership. There is no pressure on

members of Parliament. Such discussions occur on occasion, but they are sans

any truth.” The remark comes as Maharashtra reported that seven of the nine UBT

Sena MPs were in contact with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and were considering

joining it, in a situation nicknamed Operation Tiger.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi