Uddhav Thackeray Accuses BJP of 'Looting Ram Temple', Claims 'Operation Tiger' Targeted Fadnavis

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday made a series of allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Speaking at a public rally in Parbhani, he accused the BJP of turning into the 'Babar Janata Party' and 'looting the Ram temple in Ayodhya'.

Thackeray also addressed the recent defection of six Lok Sabha MPs from his party to the rival Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde, claiming that what was dubbed 'Operation Tiger' was in fact 'Operation Devendra Fadnavis' aimed at undermining Fadnavis's political stature. He drew parallels with the treatment of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, suggesting that BJP central leaders were sidelining potential rivals for the prime ministerial post.

Thackeray stated: 'Our Hindutva is nationalism. But whoever considers this country their own, even if a Muslim, belongs to us. Our Hindutva ensures Lord Ram in the heart, employment for hands, and fair prices for farmers. You did not want to build a temple; you wanted to open a shop in the name of Ram to plunder.' He added that the BJP had now become the 'Babar Janata Party', a reference to Mughal emperor Babar, whom some Hindus accuse of destroying the original Ram temple in Ayodhya.

On the defections, Thackeray said: 'This is not Operation Tiger, this is Operation Devendra Fadnavis. Just as Shivraj Singh was replaced – erased from the picture, then called back and sidelined – the process of clipping Fadnavis's wings has begun.' He claimed to have observed Fadnavis looking 'helpless' on a flight, suggesting the deputy chief minister had lost confidence because his own party leaders were undermining him. Thackeray also alleged that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's influence had been diluted, saying 'they poured ethanol into all his resolve'.

Responding to criticism about his party's pending Supreme Court case following the split, Thackeray called for introspection by all parties, including the BJP and other opposition leaders. He argued that two-thirds of elected representatives cannot unilaterally decide a merger, and that the party belongs to voters, not MPs. He urged the Lok Sabha Speaker to disqualify those who defected, asserting the rule of law should prevail.

The Parbhani rally was part of Thackeray's tour of constituencies where his party's MPs have switched sides. He warned that betraying the Shiv Sena and aligning with the BJP amounts to an insult to Maharashtra's voters and the party's legacy under Bal Thackeray.