Sanjay Raut cooks up stories which are fit for a film: Eknath Shinde’s son

Barring the burning of the Shiv Sena MP’s effigy, the protest happened peacefully with just over 200 Shinde supporters present

Taking a sly dig at Sanjay Raut, Kalyan MP and son of rebel Sena leader Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde said the vocal Shiv Sena leader cooks up stories which are fit for a film.

Supporters of Shiv Sena rebel leader Eknath Shinde burned Shiv Sena MP and leader Sanjay Raut’s effigy. (Praful Gangurde/HT photos)

Some pro-Shinde supporters burned Raut effigies outside the Thane Municipal Corporation’s office in Panchpakhadi.

The Shinde supporters in Thane had called for a support rally not outside Shinde’s residence, but near Anand Math, the official headquarters of Shiv Sena party in Thane.

However, there were hardly 200 people despite claims of thousands turning up. Looking at the dismal turnout, rebel supporters reportedly changed their stance and said they had gathered to pay their respects to Shiv Sena leader, late Anand Dighe.

Those gathered at Anand Math included Shrikant Shinde and former Mayor of Thane Municipal Corporation Naresh Mhaske.

Targeting Raut, Shrikant said, “Raut’s words do not matter to us, he cooks up all filmy stories. We have gathered here to pay respects to Anand Dighe and seek his blessings, not to showcase our strength. We have the support of the entire Thane district.”

Apart from burning Raut’s effigy, the remaining protest went on peacefully.

This was the for the first time the supporters gathered anywhere apart from Eknath Shinde’s bungalow at Louiswadi to show support since the onset of the political turmoil in Maharashtra.

Dighe was the man who created Thane to be Shiv Sena’s stronghold and was a staunch follower of Bal Thackeray and mentor of Eknath.