Sanjay Raut posts pictures of Bawankule at a Macau casino, BJP hits back

While the BJP leader clarified that he was on a family holiday, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis censured Raut’s post on X (‘Maharashtra is burning, and this gentleman is gambling in a casino in Macau.’) stating it displayed a “perverse mentality”

MUMBAI A war of words broke out between Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut and state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday after the former posted a picture of the latter gambling at a casino in Macau. Raut accused Bawankule of spending ₹3.50 crore at the gaming slots.

HT Image

While the BJP leader clarified that he was on a family holiday, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis censured Raut’s post on X (‘Maharashtra is burning, and this gentleman is gambling in a casino in Macau.’) stating it displayed a “perverse mentality”.

“It is also a sign of frustration,” he remarked.

Not content with Fadnavis’s retort, the party then posted a picture of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray holding a glass in his hand, alluding to whiskey.

Later, Bawankule himself posted pictures of him and his family stating that they were taken at the hotel where they had put up. “There is a restaurant and casino in the same space on the ground floor. I was sitting there after we had our meal and someone took our picture,” he insisted.

Raut reacted to the BJP’s remarks against him, saying he has 27 pictures and five videos to support his claim and it would be in the interest of BJP workers if they watched their words.