Raut: Shah Aims To ‘Checkmate’ Fadnavis Using Shinde
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has claimed Union home minister Amit Shah is deliberately empowering Eknath Shinde to curb Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s rising influence
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has claimed Union home minister Amit Shah is deliberately empowering Eknath Shinde to curb Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s rising influence. Mr. Raut alleged that Mr. Shah wants to prevent Mr. Fadnavis from moving into national politics and is therefore keeping him “entangled” in state matters by strengthening Mr. Shinde.
After a month-long tensions with the Shiv Sena, the BJP has decided to form an alliance with the Eknath Shinde-led party for the municipal corporation elections, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The decision was made after Mr. Shinde, who was reportedly upset with the BJP for poaching his partymen, met Union home minister Amit Shad in Delhi earlier this week.
Mr. Raut claimed that the BJP’s decision was driven by two reasons. First, Mr. Shah wants to keep the Maharashtra CM occupied in the state. Secondly, the BJP is worried by the prospect of reunion between Uddha and Raj Thackeray.
“Amit Shah does not want Devendra Fadnavi’'s power to grow. Therefore, he is actively strengthening Mr. Shinde’s position as part of a strategy to checkmate the CM. Mr. Shinde has no strength of his own anywhere in Maharashtra. I have said this earlier also. He is running on an injection (support) of Mr. Shah,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.
The Rajya Sabha MP also claimed that the BJP is panicking over the Uddhav-Raj reunion. “This fear has compelled the BJP central leadership to force the state unit to take Mr. Shinde along at any cost to divide the Marathi vote. The move is a defensive strategy to prevent a consolidation of Marathi sentiment, which would benefit the Thackeray cousins,” he said.
However, Mr. Raut added that the BJP’s state leadership is still not comfortable with Mr. Shinde’s party. “I can say with confidence that whatever is happening in the Mahayuti currently is happening against the wishes of the Maharashtra BJP,” he added.
Mr. Raut also rebuked the Congress party’s push for a separate Vidarbha state and dismissed Congress legislative party leader Vijay Wadettiwar’s stance on the issue. “No matter how hard the Congress tries, this political move will not succeed. Vidarbha will not separate. We do not give much importance to Mr. Wadettiwar,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.
However, Mr. Wadettiwar hit back, asserting that he spoke about separate Vidarbha state after talking to his party high command and questioned why he should value Mr. Raut’s opinion.
“What Mr. Raut says is his problem. We give no importance to him,” the Congress leader said.
