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Will go to Goa if I wish to, says Sanjay Raut's brother Sunil amid reports of a Guwahati move
A two-time MLA from Mumbai's Vikhroli, Sunil Raut came under fire after media reports claimed that he was considering a move to the hotel in Guwahati, where the rebel MLAs have been putting up.
As the political turmoil refuses to abate in Maharashtra over a divided Shiv Sena camp, party spokesperson Sanjay Raut's brother, Sunil Raut, on Monday dismissed rumours of being in touch with rebel lawmaker Eknath Shinde and said he would work as a Shiv Sainik ‘till his last breath’.
Raut, a two-time MLA from Mumbai's Vikhroli, came under fire after a few media reports said that he was contacted by Shinde camp and that he was considering a move to join the rebel MLAs at a hotel in Guwahati, where they have been putting up since last Wednesday.
“Why will I go to Guwahati? I would rather go to Goa to see its natural beauty. Will I go to Guwahati to see the faces of those traitors? I am a Shiv Sainik, and I will work for the party till my last breath,” Sunil Raut rebuffed the reports.
He also exuded confidence in chief minister Uddhav Thackeray saying he will surely win if a trust vote is held in the Assembly.
"Narayan Rane and Raj Thackeray can say all that they want to say. Uddhav Thackeray will surely win. I was in the Shiv Sena and I will remain in this party," he said.
The Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra is facing a survival crisis after more than two-thirds of the Sena MLAs rebelled against the party president to join the Shinde faction.
Shinde has called a meeting of the rebel MLAs camping with him later in the day, reported news agency ANI.
The Supreme Court today issued notices to Maharashtra deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal, Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu and legislature party leader Anil Chaudhary on the petitions by Eknath Shinde and 15 other dissident MLAs challenging the disqualification notice to the rebel camp.
“Haste can lead to undesirable consequences,” the apex court said, announcing the verdict. The top court has asked all parties to file counter affidavits within five days. Shinde camp has been given three days to respond to counter affidavits. The next hearing has been scheduled for July 11.
Earlier, Shinde spoke to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray about the recent political situation in the state. He spoke to the MNS leader over the phone twice and also enquired about his health.
Shinde, who is currently camping in Assam along with other MLAs, has named their group 'Shiv Sena Balasaheb'.
The naming of the group after the name of the Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray attracted sharp reactions from Uddhav Thackeray and camp, who said that those who left the party should not seek votes in the name of the party founder.
