Mumbai Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday targeted Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for questioning Uddhav Thackeray not bathing in the recently concluded Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. Raut while talking to reporters also criticized Shinde’s political understanding and said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should train the Deputy Chief Minister to ask questions.
The Rajya Sabha member claimed that the BJP and its leaders were “exposed” than Uddhav Thackeray due to Shinde’s mistakes. Shinde -led Shiv Sena is part of the BJP -led ruling Mahayuti in the state. Mahakumbh was held from 13 January to 26 February in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
Regarding the target of Shiv Sena (Ubatha) chief and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray by Shinde for not joining Mahakumbh, Raut said, “Shinde should first ask this question to RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak chief) Mohan Bhagwat. If Bhagwat did not go to take a dip in Kumbh as a Hindu, then why is Uddhav Thackeray being targeted? ”
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Raut also said that he said that he did RSS founder Dr. KB Hedgewar or former heads of the Sangh MS Golwalkar, Balasaheb Deoras, Rajju Bhaiya and K.K. Never seen pictures of Sudarshan joining any Kumbh. He said that even (Hindutva thinker) Vinayak Damodar Savarkar never went to Kumbh Mela.
Raut targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, “Did Modi ever go to a Kumbh before becoming Prime Minister?” This is only a manner of publicity. ”Prime Minister Modi took a dip in the confluence during the Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj last month. Raut said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis went to Mahakumbh last month, but how many cabinet colleagues or (BJP) MLAs went there. The Shiv Sena (Ubatha) leader said, “Leave such issues.”
Meanwhile, Raut on Sunday claimed in his weekly column ‘Rokathok’ in the mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ of Shiv Sena (Ubatha) that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Pune on the morning of 22 February and complained to Chief Minister Fadnavis. He claimed that the meeting was held at a hotel in Koregaon Park in Pune and “57 MLAs” Shinde had to wake up till four in the morning to meet Shah.
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Raut said, “He (Shinde) complained to Shah that he was not being given his right in the new government and all the decisions taken by him as Chief Minister in the previous government are being reversed.” Raut claimed that Shinde wants to merge Shiv Sena and become Chief Minister again. Shinde led the rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray in June 2022, causing the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to collapse and (the then undivided) Shiv Sena.
When asked about Shinde’s claim to meet Amit Shah to complain to Fadnavis, Raut told reporters, “Shinde should publicly deny that he met Shah and he should clarify his stand inste of.”
Asked how he came to know about the meeting, Raut said, “Senior leaders always ensure that such things come out when they want people to know about it.” In response to a question asked about the budget session starting on Monday of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Raut said that Shiv Sena (Ubatha) will present his claim for the post of Leader of Opposition in the assembly.