Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut Tuesday expressed confidence in rebel MLAs returning back to the party. While speaking to the media in Mumbai, the Sena leader said he is in talks with them and is hopeful that they will come back to the party they have quit. "We are still hopeful that these MLAs will return back... We were always in talks with rebels... They are our people, will come back. 'Subha ka bhoola agar shaam ko ghar aa jaye to usse bhoola nahi kehte', said the Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, as reported by news agency ANI.
He also reiterated Uddhav Thackeray's challenge to the Eknath Shinde-led government of holding mid-term polls in Maharashtra. While making the statement he said that the Shiv Sena will bag 100 seats if the polls are held.
"We are confident of winning 100 seats as Shivsena... Uddhav Thackeray had said let's have mid-term polls and everything will be clear.. who will win & who will lose," Raut said further, as reported by ANI.
Speaking further, the Sena MP said that the rebel MLAs were not lured by money alone but 'something else' which would soon become a 'big expose'.
"Shiv Sena is Baba Thackeray's. Cannot be anyone else's. You cannot hijack it through money. CM Mamata Banerjee has said, not just money but something else was also given. It will be a big expose when this 'something' is revealed, Raut was quoted as saying to the media in Mumbai, reported ANI.
Last month, Eknath Shinde launched a rebellion against the Shiv Sena with majority of the MLAs siding with him and leading to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi Government of Uddhav Thackeray,