‘Some Are Dogs, But Not Loyal’: Sanjay Raut’s Cryptic Message Amid ‘Operation Tiger’ Buzz

Last Updated:June 20, 2026, 09:17 IST

The post came as the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray-led faction faces what could become a second major split in the party, following the 2022 rebellion led by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday shared a cryptic message on social media amid growing turmoil within the party over the possible defection of six Lok Sabha MPs to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Raut posted an image carrying the Hindi message, “Kuch log kuttey toh hoty hain, lekin wafa’daar nahi hoty" (Some people may be dogs, but they are not loyal), along with the caption, “Jai Maharashtra!"

The post came as the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray-led faction faces what could become a second major split in the party, following the 2022 rebellion led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The crisis intensified on Thursday after six of the party’s nine Lok Sabha MPs skipped a parliamentary party meeting convened at the Parliament complex in New Delhi. Only Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje attended the meeting.

The absent MPs included Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar and Bhausaheb Wakchaure.

Reacting strongly, Raut accused the lawmakers of violating the party whip and said disciplinary proceedings had already begun.

“These people who used to consider themselves Shiv Sainiks are cowardly. Shiv Sainiks aren’t that cowardly. These people consider themselves Shiv Sainiks, and where have they gone to hide? In Jaipur," he told reporters.

He added that show-cause notices had been issued and that the party would pursue their disqualification.

“The process for taking action has started. We will make every effort to get them disqualified. If the Speaker of the Lok Sabha works according to the rules, the law, and the Supreme Court’s directives, these people will be disqualified," Raut said.

‘Operation Tiger’ Buzz

Speculation about a possible mass defection, dubbed ‘Operation Tiger’, gathered pace after Shiv Sena MLC Chandrakant Raghuvanshi claimed that six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs had expressed confidence in Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and had already aligned with his faction.

Despite the setback, Raut asserted that the party remained committed to Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy.

“Shiv Sena has completed 60 years. And Balasaheb Thackeray’s birth centenary is going on. We always draw inspiration from Balasaheb Thackeray. We will continue to fight until the evil is eradicated," he said.

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Anushka Vats

Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can ...Read More

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