Maharashtra: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday fiercely targeted Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. He said that BJP has prepared a plan to remove Shinde. Raut claimed, ‘Shinde often remains worried about the matter and visits his hometown Dar in Satara. New leadership may come in Shinde group. Uday Samant has the support of 20 MLAs. Raut said that ‘when Shinde came to know about this plan, he changed his pressure strategy for the post of CM. Ultimately he accepted the post of Deputy CM.
Round of allegations and counter-allegations in Maharashtra
Maharashtra has been going through a phase of political allegations and counter-allegations for quite some time. A few days ago, Maharashtra government minister and senior Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leader Uday Samant had made a big claim. He said, ‘Many leaders and elected representatives of Shiv Sena (UBT) are in touch with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and will soon join the party.’
Samant said, ‘Many Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs, MLAs and representatives of various public institutions are in touch with Shinde after the declaration of assembly election results. Soon you will see that those public representatives of Shiv Sena UBT will join Shinde faction’s Shiv Sena. Eknath Shinde will take the decision in this regard. However, Sanjay Raut rejected the minister’s claim and said, ‘There is no unrest in the party now.’
Sanjay Raut is not an issue for us: Nana Patole
At the same time, Maharashtra unit chief of Congress Nana Patole had also recently targeted Sanjay Raut. Nana Patole said, ‘Our party does not feel the need to react to Raut’s statements because it is not an issue for us.’ Patole was reacting to Raut’s comments that Shiv Sena UBT planned to contest the local body elections in the state alone instead of forming an alliance with its Maha Vikas Aghadi allies. However, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, UBT and Congress are alliance partners. They had also contested the assembly elections together last year, but Raut and Patol have targeted each other on several occasions.
