New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday reacted to the Enforcement Directorate's raid on MP Sanjay Raut, saying "Just because one is scared of the ED, one shouldn't come to our party."


The statement is in response to Raut's insinuation that he was facing an ED raid because he chose to remain loyal to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction. "False action.. False evidence. I will not leave Shiv Sena.. Even if I die, I will not surrender. Jai Maharashtra," the MP wrote earlier in the day, following the ED raid at his residence.


ALSO READ | 'False Action.. False Evidence': Sanjay Raut On ED Raid At His Residence, Says Won't Leave Shiv Sena


The ED team conducted a search at Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's residence in Mumbai in connection with a money laundering case related to irregularities in a chawl redevelopment project at Mumbai's Goregaon dubbed as the Patra Chawl land scam case.


On the ED raid, Eknath Shinde said, "The investigation is underway. If he hasn't done anything wrong, why is he scared? He was a big MVA leader. Just because one's scared of the ED, one shouldn't come to our party." 


"ED also conducted investigations earlier. If ED works under the fear of the Central government then the Supreme Court should take action on this. ED is doing their work," he added. 


Allocation For Ministries For Maharashtra Cabinet To Be Decided Soon: CM Eknath Shinde


About the much-awaited expansion of the new Maharashtra cabinet, the Chief Minister said that the allocation of ministries for state Cabinet formation will be decided as soon as possible.


"Allocation for ministries for state cabinet formation will be decided as soon as possible. We along with the Deputy CM are working on the growth of the state," CM Shinde said, as quoted by ANI.


Even after one month of the new government formed by theBJP-Shiv Sena rebel faction, the state is yet to get a complete cabinet with allocation of ministries.


Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has announced a cash reward of Rs 37 lakh to Sanket Sargar who won a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games 2022. 


"Sanket Sargar is from a poor family, hence we are giving him Rs 30 lakh and for education, we are giving them Rs 7 lakh from the state government," said Shinde in a press conference. 


While talking about the Marathwada suicides, CM Shinde said: "Overall Marathwada suicides are not happening we assure that. In this meeting, we discuss this too. State banks, District banks and Central banks must give them loans with less interest." 


"Mid-term, long term and short-term plans we will discuss in this meeting for farmers," he added. 


On Shiv Sena founder Bala Thackeray's statue, he stated that the government will it build as soon as possible. "I gave an order on this to complete this work as soon as possible," he informed.