Congress-Led Coalition Govt Will Come To Power At Centre In 2024: Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut opined that the BJP will stay in Indian politics but as an opposition party. He also alleged that the Centre has asked ministers to keep their distance from reporters.

Sanjay Raut (File Photo/ Getty Images)

New Delhi: Targetting the ruling BJP at centre, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday claimed that a coalition government with Congress as a major party will come to power in 2024 general elections, which will end the reign of the incumbent “one-party government”.

“No government can be formed without Congress, which is a major and deeply-rooted party in the country. Congress is the main opposition party too. Others are regional parties,” Sanjay Raut said as he spoke to the media after addressing the JS Karandikar memorial lecture organised by the Pune press club.

The Shiv Sena spokesperson was asked about Prashant Kishor’s reported statement where the political strategist said that BJP’s prominence will remain for many decades.

On this, Sanjay Raut opined that the BJP will stay in Indian politics but as an opposition party.

“BJP claims that it is the world’s biggest party. If the world’s biggest party loses elections they will become an opposition party. For example, in Maharashtra, the BJP is the main opposition party with 105 MLAs,” he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Speaking about Shiv Sena’s priorities in view of the upcoming Assembly elections, Sanjay Raut said, “Presently we are focusing in Dadra, Nagar Haveli, and Goa. There is still time for UP elections. We are a smaller player in UP but we will contest”.

While addressing the lecture earlier, the Shiv Sena MP pointed to various challenges being faced by the media. He also alleged that the Centre has asked ministers to keep their distance from reporters.

“Since the last two years, media persons are not allowed in the central hall of Parliament by the ruling party citing the reason of coronavirus pandemic. But the real reason behind the ban is fear that many things might come out if reporters are allowed to speak to ministers who are being asked to maintain distance from journalists. They (the Central government) has asked ministers to keep their distance from reporters, even they are under the scanner. Media was not stopped even during Emergency like it is now,” Sanjay Raut claimed.

He further alleged the (Union) government only wants favourable reporting. “After a newspaper reported about corpses floating in the Ganga river (during the worst phase of the COVID-19 pandemic) the Income Tax department raided the offices of that newspaper,” he recalled.

Sanjay Raut also claimed that the industries which wanted licenses to operate were made to invest in media organisations so that they (the government) can control the media.

“Top ten industries have bought media houses. The government is behind this,” he commented.

(With Agency Inputs)