Eknath Shinde warns of more defections after rebel MPs skip Shiv Sena UBT event

This is just a trailer. Picture abhi baki hai. See what lies ahead, said Eknath Shinde

MUMBAI: Though the six rebel Shiv Sena UBT MPs expected to switch over to Shiv Sena stayed away from the party's 60th foundation day event in Goregaon Friday, Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde could not stay away from the topic and warned that there was more to come. "This is just a trailer. Picture abhi baki hai. See what lies ahead," he said.

Mocking Shiv Sena UBT and MP Sanjay Raut, who spent the previous two days publicly attacking the rebel MPs, Shinde said: "Some dogs have been barking. They come in packs and bark. The tiger roams alone and he hunts and roars."

The six MPs reportedly stayed away because of possible legal hurdles created by their presence on a Shiv Sena platform before the switchover. Their rebellion has been termed 'Op Tiger' by Shinde. Referring to Sena UBT's threat to counter with 'Op Tudva', Shinde said: "For Op Tudva, they will actually have to face us. I have conducted an operation without being a doctor."

Shinde's 45-minute speech was largely an attack on Shiv Sena UBT. "They have no one left. They just have forks and spoons," he said, adding there was now a "waiting list" to join his party. Shinde said the split in Shiv Sena four years ago had been a success. "From 40 MLAs we have now become 60," he said, reiterating that Sena UBT had abandoned Hindutva for power and allied with parties that Balasaheb Thackeray had criticised.