Maharashtra Political Turmoil: Traitors Should Not Be Able To Roam On Streets, Says Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut called the party MLA from Alibag, Mahendra Dalvi, who has joined the Shinde camp, a "bullock".

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut during press conference (File photo: getty)

New Delhi: Amid the deepening political turmoil in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said those who have betrayed the party leadership should not be able to move around. While addressing a rally at Alibag, he said "Traitors should not be able to roam on the streets." Earlier today, Maharashtra chief minister and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had adopted a reconciliatory tone when he requested that the dissidents return to the state from Guwahati where they are enjoying nature, and work out the issues.

Raut also slammed the rebel MLAs' claim that their battle was for safeguarding the party's Hindutva moorings, pointing out that more than half of them were earlier with the NCP.

"The rebel MLAs supporting Eknath Shinde are saying their cause is to protect the Hindutva envisaged by party founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

"Twenty-two of them have come from the Nationalist Congress Party. What Hindutva they are talking about? Those who opposed Balasaheb Thackeray ended up ruining their own career," he said.

Raut likewise called the party MLA from Alibag, Mahendra Dalvi, who has joined the Shinde camp, a "bullock".

"When I called Mahendra, he said he was taking rest and disconnected the call. He was earlier with the NCP and also other political parties like the Peasants and Workers Party....I think it is time to change the bullock," Raut said.

At the point when the MVA alliance with Congress and NCP was being framed, Thackeray needed to make Eknath Shinde chief minister, he further said.

"If Shinde joins hands with the BJP now, he would become (only) a deputy chief minister," the Sena MP said.

Before the 2019 Assembly polls, Thackeray had requested "50:50 formula of portfolio sharing including the top post", Raut said.

"It was the BJP which opposed it, hence Shinde lost the opportunity to become the chief minister of Maharashtra," he claimed.

Then, at that point, BJP leader Amit Shah had promised to share the chief minister's post to the Sena but later broke the promise, Raut asserted.

(With PTI inputs)