Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray and former Maharashtra minister met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Wednesday night. He will meet Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday, February 13.

The meetings come at a time when the Shiv Sena-UBT is upset with its Maha Vikas Aghadi ally Sharad Pawar felicitating Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. The Aaditya Thackeray-Rahul Gandhi meeting is important in many ways as earlier, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party had gone against the Congress and backed its other INDIA bloc ally, the Aam Aadmi Party, in Delhi.

VIDEO | Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde (@mieknathshinde) received the Mahadji Shinde Rashtriya Gaurav Award from NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) at New Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi earlier today. Union Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia (@JM_Scindia) was also… pic.twitter.com/j3FHX7pOBh

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 11, 2025

The Shiv Sena-UBT is reportedly preparing to contest the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations elections by raising the slogan of Shiv Sena-UBT ‘Ekla Cholo Re’.

Sharad Pawar awarded the Mahadji Shinde Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar to Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. After that, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said, “Do you know who gave this award? Such awards given to political leaders are either bought or sold.”

#WATCH | Delhi | On Maharashtra Dy CM Eknath Shinde receiving the Mahadji Shinde Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar from NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, “Do you know who gave this award? Such awards given to political leaders are either bought or sold.” pic.twitter.com/CjVnbgDuY8

— ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2025

Soon after meeting Sharad Pawar, Eknath Shinde said: “Sharad Pawar’s political googly is unpredictable; sometimes even those sitting beside him or placed by him get caught off guard. However, my relationship with Pawar Sahab has always been cordial. He has never bowled a googly at me, and I trust that he never will.”

Maharashtra: Deputy CM Eknath Shinde says, “Sharad Pawar’s political googly is unpredictable; sometimes even those sitting beside him or placed by him get caught off guard. However, my relationship with Pawar Sahab has always been cordial. He has never bowled a googly at me, and… pic.twitter.com/EZSOvwYTCU

— IANS (@ians_india) February 12, 2025

‘Operation Tiger’ In Maharashtra

The Shiv Sena-UBT is naturally jittery with the Pawar-Shinde bonhomie amid reports of the Mahayuti’s “Operation Tiger”. The situation is compounded with senior Shiv Sena-UBT leaders joining the Mahayuti.

The latest among them is the senior leader from the Konkan region, Rajan Salvi, who is set to join the Shinde faction on Thursday. A large number of supporters will join him. The joining will take place in Thane at Shinde’s residence.

To keep the party’s flock of Shiv Sena-UBT MPs together, Aaditya Thackeray will meet the MPs in Delhi on Thursday.