Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday issued strict instructions to his MPs in New Delhi that they must seek prior permission before attending luncheon meetings by leaders of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, sources said.

However, sources said that Aaditya Thackeray’s instruction has upset some Shiv Sena MPs, who have already expressed their displeasure about it.

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The development came a day after Rajan Salvi, an old Bal Thackeray-era loyalist veteran from coastal Konkan region, who spent more than 35 years in the undivided Shiv Sena, left the Thackeray-led Sena and joined the Shinde-led Sena, giving a boost to Deputy CM Shinde’s ‘Operation Tiger’ strategy of luring members of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties to join his party.

Aaditya Thackeray arrived in Delhi on Wednesday night and met Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. Later, on Thursday morning, Aditya Thackeray held a press conference at Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut’s residence in Delhi. Aaditya also issued instructions that Thackeray-led Sena MPs must seek prior permission before attending luncheon meetings called by leaders of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

During the press conference Aaditya Thackeray held in New Delhi on Thursday, Sena MPs like Arvind Sawant, Sanjay (Bandu) Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Rajabhau Vaje were present at the location, while Sena MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar went to the airport to catch a flight since he had to go back to his constituency. Sena MP Sanjay Dina Patil could not reach on time to meet Aaditya Thackeray.

Soon after that, Aaditya Thackeray went to Arvind Kejriwal’s residence along with Shiv Sena MPs Sanjay Dina Patil and Rajabhau Vaje.

Meanwhile, sources said that recently, a dinner was organised at the residence of Union Minister and Eknath Shinde Sena leader Prataprao Jadhav. Parbhani MP Sanjay (Bandu) Jadhav, Hingoli MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar and Shirdi MP Bhausaheb Wakchoure attended the dinner, according to sources.

On the other hand, Eknath Shinde Sena’s Naresh Mhaske and Shrirang Barne were present at a recent dinner organised by Thackeray-led Sena MP Nagesh Patil Ashtikar at his residence in New Delhi, sources said.

Apart from these developments, it is learnt that Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde had also organised a dinner for MPs from Maharashtra. It was expected that Thackeray-led Sena MPs would not attend this dinner, but Thackeray-led Sena’s North East Mumbai MP Sanjay Dina Patil was present at this dinner, sources said.

Due to these developments, whispers have started in political circles about whether Eknath Shinde and Thackeray group MPs have grown dangerously close, increasing the chances of Shinde’s ‘Operation Tiger’ becoming a success.