Shinde-led Shiv Sena removes Sanjay Raut as parliamentary party leader

Gajanan Kirtikar has been appointed the new Parliamentary party leader. He had crossed over to the Shinde faction after the latter split Shiv Sena, which was being led by Uddhav Thackeray. Thirteen Members of Parliament from the party had jumped over to Shinde’s side.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena led by chief minister Eknath Shinde has removed Sanjay Raut as the leader of its parliamentary party and appointed Mumbai North West MP Gajanan Kirtikar in his place.

Mumbai.... Sanjay Raut, Gajanan Kirtikar and Ramdas kadam at Matoshree for meeting with uddhav thackery decide on Support to Govt on Wednesday evening in Mumbai. HT Photo by Satish Bate

Kirtikar had crossed over to the Shinde faction after the latter split Shiv Sena, which was being led by Uddhav Thackeray. Thirteen Members of Parliament from the party had jumped over to Shinde’s side.

About his new role, Kirtikar said, “Our Lok Sabha group leader Rahul Shewale has given a letter to Speaker Om Birla and union parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi that I have been chosen (as party’s parliamentary leader) in a group of meeting of MPs and also in the one-day meeting of our party.

“We are a part of the National Democratic Alliance while Raut is pro United Progressive Alliance. He can’t take a pro NDA stand. We will support the policies of NDA,” added Kirtikar.

Reacting to his removal, Raut said, “Let them do anything. I don’t care for this. They must remember that there is a case in the Supreme Court about the defection. I don’t care about posts. We have given so much in life to the party.”

Shiv Sena won 19 Lok Sabha seats including one in Dadra Nagar Haveli. Six of them continue to be on Thackeray’s side.