MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut stirred up a new controversy by claiming on Saturday that deputy chief minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde earlier tried to join the Congress party.
In response to a question on the issue, he said, “Of course he (Shinde) was going towards it. You can ask Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan.” He mentioned that Congress leader Ahmed Patel was no longer alive to bear witness to their early morning meetings.
“I know more than anyone else about the early morning meetings in Delhi with Patel and others,” he said. Ahmed Patel passed away in 2020, while Shinde’s rebellion was in 2022, indicating that Raut was referring to a period much prior to the split of the Shiv Sena.
Meanwhile, Ambadas Danve of the Sena (UBT) added fuel to the fire, saying, “There was some talk of this when the BJP-Sena govt was in office.”
Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan declined to comment, saying he was not aware of this. However, Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said, “I am not aware of what happened in the past but one cannot predict what will happen in the future.”
Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s party dismissed the UBT Sena MP’s claims. “The effect of the ‘bhang’ (intoxicant) that Raut consumed for Holi has still not dissipated. If they did not trust Eknath Shinde, then why was he made the urban development minister and put in charge of winning the election?” asked Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Naresh Mhaske.
State social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat from the Sena said, “We don’t give Raut’s statements any importance.”
The BJP also sidestepped the issue, with state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule saying, “Our priority is the development of the state.”
