It’s a low-key 61st for Raut

Raut’s cheer stemmed in good measure from the PMLA court’s bail order which was scathing about the ED’s case against him.

Mumbai: On Tuesday, the first-floor office of Saamna in a building at Prabhadevi, looked most unlike a newspaper office. There were multiple cakes, boxes of mithai stacked up and bouquets strewn across the newsroom. The narrow passage that leads to his office was lined with Sainiks carrying, well, more sweets, bouquets and garlands.

Inside his cabin, dressed in all grey, Sanjay Raut was smiling but still looking a bit wan as the three months in prison have taken their toll. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

Inside his cabin, dressed in all grey, Sanjay Raut was smiling but still looking a bit wan. The three months in prison have taken their toll. But the MP and Saamna’s executive editor is back in the saddle and was happily receiving birthday wishes from his well-wishers. Earlier in the day, a large tent had been erected in front of his Bhandup house to receive party workers who are desperately looking for something to cheer about at a time of grave crisis for them. The beeline of workers at his house and later at the office a testament to Raut’s stature in the severely diminished party.

Raut’s cheer stemmed in good measure from the PMLA court’s bail order which was scathing about the ED’s case against him. “Three months in jail can be trying for anyone but the good thing is I managed to lose some weight.” The Shiv Sena (UBT) has felt the absence of his sharp rhetoric these last few months but Raut says he just needs a few more days of rest before things come “back on track.”

“Whether it’s me or the fake case (of molestation) against Jitendra Awhad in Thane, I don’t know who gets what kind of sick joy in doing this,” he told the gathered media. “This needs to stop and sanity needs to be restored to politics in the state.”

He also spoke about the scuffle that broke out between party workers of the two Shiv Senas at Thane on Monday. “If anyone is spilling the blood of Shiv sainiks, it (the hardship) won’t go in vain. Those who harassed Sainiks in the past were finished from their political and social life. This battle will go on right till 2024,” which is when, he insisted, “there will be our chief minister back in charge in the state.”

When asked about the speculations swirling around his cryptic praise for deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, motormouth Raut turned coy. “Wait and watch” was all he said.