Won’t surrender to misuse of central agencies, says Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena leader and spokesperson Sanjay Raut also dismissed speculations that CM Uddhav Thackeray’s “future colleagues” remark on BJP leaders had upset Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar.

A day after chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray created a flutter in political circles with his “future colleagues” remark, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said the Sena-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will complete full term and they would not bow down or surrender just because central agencies are being misused against its leaders and ministers. Raut also dismissed speculations that Thackeray’s remark had upset Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said the Sena-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will complete full term and they would not bow down or surrender. (HT FILE)

The Sena leader on Saturday clarified that Thackeray’s statement meant if Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders want to come and join the MVA, they can become future colleagues. He also said that Thackeray’s comment was not sudden but a deliberate one.

The CM, while speaking at a government event in Aurangabad on Friday, referred to the dignitaries, including BJP’s minister of state for railways Raosaheb Danve and minister of state for finance Bhagwat Karad, on the dais as “my current, former, and if we come together, my future colleagues”.

Thackeray’s statement, if viewed in the backdrop of Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) action against his close aide and minister Anil Parab, suggested that the party could have extended an olive branch to its former ally. However, Raut dismissed it and said, “If somebody has garbage in their minds that we will do whatever they want us to do or surrender ourselves [just because] the manner in which they have misused central agencies against MVA leaders and minister, they can continue to think so. We will not bow down.”

Amid buzz that Pawar and some leaders in the Congress and NCP were upset over the remark, Raut met the CM and Sena chief at Varsha bungalow. “I don’t think that anybody is upset, nor has any said so... I am in regular touch with key leaders of the two parties and there is nothing like that. All is well, everything is running smoothly,” Raut said after meeting the CM on Saturday afternoon.

NCP spokesperson and skill development and minority affairs minister Nawab Malik denied that Pawar was upset. “There is no such thing. These are baseless news floating around,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Raut defended Thackeray and said it is a “small matter,” and added, “Nowhere has Uddhav ji said that there will be a new alliance or the government will fall.” He also said, “It is not a sudden statement by the CM, but a deliberate one. He had said that the former colleagues want to become future ones, and some people are in touch to join MVA. There are many in Maharashtra who are keen to join,” he said without naming any particular leader.

Raut, who is the co-architect of MVA, said there were no difference within the three-party alliance and it will complete its full term. “The government has the commitment to run the government for five years and the Shiv Sena is known to keep its word. It never backstabs anyone,” said the Sena chief spokesperson.

Ruling out any alliance with the BJP, Raut said that alliance cannot be formed with a party that uses the language of demolishing Shiv Sena Bhavan — the party headquarters, and with a party where its ministers speak ill about the Sena chief. Raut agreed with Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis, who on Friday said there was no possibility of reunion between the two parties. “Devendra ji has spoken very practically that nothing will happen now, nor will anyone let it happen. There are some people in the BJP who have openly said they would ransack Shiv Sena Bhavan. Some Union minister has spoken about attacking the chief minister. How can there be an alliance with a party that considers the Sena its enemy?”

Meanwhile, BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in legislative Council Pravin Darekar said Thackeray’s remark could have been a warning to the other two ruling parties. “There is pressure on the CM over various issues and he is compelled to change his decisions within hours because of the pressure. I think by his remarks the CM has tried to give a warning to two other parties that he has the option of the BJP open for alliance. This is nothing but the pressure tactics being adopted by the ruling party. There is discontent and one-upmanship but none of them will try to pull out of the government because of their hunger for power,” he said.

Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, former Congress leader who switched loyalties ahead of 2019 election and joined BJP, said anything was possible in politics. “There is no permanent friend or foe in politics. Any miracle can take place anytime. The incumbent ruling alliance in the state is an unnatural partnership without any common ideology. They have come together for the sake of power. The Sena-BJP alliance had been together even without power. It would not be a surprise if the old allies come together,” the former minister said.

BJP legislator Nitesh Rane, meanwhile, alleged that the remarks by the CM were to divert the attention of the people from the MMRDA bridge collapse. “Was the Sena-BJP alliance statement only given to divert media attention from the MMRDA bridge collapse in BKC? Seems like it,” Rane tweeted on Saturday morning. He was referring to the collapse of an under-construction bridge at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in which 14 workers injured on Thursday. The BJP has held state government and MMRDA responsible for the mishap.