News Analysis India

Tag: Sanjay Raut

  • Third Eye: Kerala leaders’ pain in Delhi, Badruddin Ajmal in sweet mood, and Sanjay Raut’s theory

    From Boiling Point to Rain Relief: Both BJP and Congress leaderships had brought their respective party leaders from Kerala to Delhi to campaign among the Malayalee pockets of the national capital. While these Kerala functionaries did their job, most of them wilted due to Delhi’s unfamiliar simmering summer and heat wave. Done with their job, some of them said the biggest relief was the certain prospect of returning to the torrential downpour lashing across Kerala.

    Already in ‘Sweet Mood’: Looks like AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal believes in early celebrations. Confident of victory, he is preparing a list of people to whom he will send packets of sweets. Seeking re-election from Dhubri, Ajmal is pitted against Congress’ Rakibul Hussain. Ajmal, who is an MP since 2009, said that the largest packets would be sent to MLA and Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi and AJP leader Lurinjyoti Gogoi. Both are Congress allies. He said the packets will also be sent to Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah.

    Who is Lying? Game on: Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has claimed in his weekly column in ‘Saamana’ that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, at the behest of the PM and Amit shah, has helped Congress’ Vikas Thakre to defeat Union minister Nitin Gadkari. While BJP leaders and even Thakre have slammed Raut, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar took on Raut with an interesting word play. He claimed that Raut always had a habit of lying, but it has now become an ‘addiction’. Mungantiwar added that due to his ‘fertile imagination’, Raut was churning out such ‘barren ideas’.

  • PM Modi will seek votes in the name of Lord Ram, but won’t speak on development and inflation: Sanjay Raut

    Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek votes in the name of Lord Ram but will not speak on development, inflation and jobs. Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Raut claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was trailing after the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections.

    The third phase of polls will take place on May 7.

    Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Sunday and hold a roadshow. “Modi will go to Dwarka, Mathura and Ayodhya. He will go to every temple but won’t talk about development, inflation and jobs. He will not talk about why the (2019) Pulwama attack took place,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesHe also hit out at the prime minister over the attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which a soldier was killed and four were injured as terrorists ambushed an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in Poonch district.

    “Yesterday, in broad daylight, our soldiers were attacked and killed. He will not talk about this in Ayodhya. (He will) just seek votes in the name of Lord Ram,” Raut said.

  • Lok Sabha Elections: Shiv Sena (UBT) firm on contesting from Sangli, nobody should do anything that will help BJP: Sanjay Raut

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that his party was firm on contesting from Maharashtra’s Sangli Lok Sabha seat, stressing that nobody should do anything that will directly help the BJP. Raut was responding to questions about Congress’ exasperation after his party on Wednesday announced its first list of 17 candidates, including for the Sangli seat and a few from Mumbai.

    The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) are partners in the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra.

    Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat and Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra assembly Vijay Wadettiwar had asked their MVA partner to reconsider its decision, stressing that it did not suit “coalition dharma”. Raut said there is always give and take in an alliance and they gave Ramtek and Kolhapur seats to the Congress. He said Sena (UBT) has also given Amravati to the Congress.

    “Even our local cadres were upset but we did not allow the resentment to spiral,” he said.

    Congress took Ramtek so Sena (UBT) said it would contest from Mumbai North. In an alliance, there is a need to strengthen and expand it, not individual parties, he said. “The Congress has to lead the nation and we support the party in its endeavour. Will Congress give up the fight against BJP just for one seat (Sangli),” he asked. If the opposition alliance stays together as a cohesive unit, MVA can easily win the Sangli seat, he said. Sena (UBT) has nominated wrestler Chandrahar Patil for Sangli.

    “If someone has other intentions to help the BJP indirectly, we will not allow that to happen,” he said.

    According to Congress leaders, the party is keen to contest from Sangli, Mumbai South Central and Mumbai North West seats, all included in the list released by Sena (UBT).

    Raut was also asked about the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) deciding to go solo in the Lok Sabha polls.

    He said it is Ambedkar’s duty to protect the Constitution and democracy. “I am sure Ambedkar will not take any step to help the BJP,” he added.

    Lok Sabha polls for Maharashtra’s 48 seats will be held in five phases between April 19 and May 20 and votes will be counted on June 4.

  • Shiv Sena: Days after Ambedkar snapped ties with Shiv Sena (UBT), Sanjay Raut says MVA hasn’t lost hope in VBA chief

    Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday said Maha Vikas Aghadi has not lost hope in Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar, days after the latter called off the tie-up with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party in Maharashtra. Raut claimed public support is with MVA whose electoral victory would have been grand had VBA come along.

    Talking to reporters, Raut said Ambedkar should have accepted MVA’s proposal of four seats for Lok Sabha elections, but the Opposition camp has not lost hopes on the VBA.

    “There is public support for MVA. Our victory would have been grand had Balasaheb (Prakash) Ambedkar been with us. But this does not mean we are dependent on them,” he said. Noting that Ambedkar is a respectable leader with a good party organisation, Raut said MVA leaders held discussions and kept requesting him.

    “He should have accepted the (MVA) proposal. But we still have not lost hope on him,” he added.

    Ambedkar on Saturday said he was calling off the alliance with Shiv Sena (UBT) and would declare his next move on March 26. “I am giving back their four seats,” he said on Monday. Contesting the MVA’s claim, the Dalit leader said VBA was officially offered only three seats including Akola.

    Ambedkar had virtually blamed Uddhav Thackeray for the break down of the 14-month-old alliance.

    “I had asked Uddhav Thackeray that Shiv Sena (UBT) and VBA should first sit together and chalk out strategy for a joint political path, but that didn’t happen. The VBA alliance with Sena (UBT) doesn’t exist any longer,” he had said.

    Ambedkar had also claimed that the internal strife in MVA allies- Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), and Congress- doesn’t seem to end.

    The VBA had affected the prospects of UPA candidates in Nanded, Solapur, Hatkanangale, Beed, Parbhani and Sangli seats, to name a few, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, which ultimately helped NDA.

  • Shiv Sena: Why no Bharat Ratna for Savarkar: Shiv Sena (UBT) slams Centre

    The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday attacked the BJP-led Centre for not conferring Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, on Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar. Addressing a news conference, Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut called the Centre’s decision to honour former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur with the award posthumously a political move.

    Since the Narendra Modi government took charge in Delhi (in 2014), 11 people have been conferred the highest civilian award, but Savarkar has not found a place on the list, said Raut.

    Thakur was named for the Bharat Ratna on Tuesday on the eve of the birth centenary of the fountainhead of OBC (other backward classes) politics in Bihar. Thakur, who passed away in 1988, was the first non-Congress socialist leader who became chief minister twice – first for seven months in December 1970 and later for two years in 1977.

    “Our position remains the same that Veer Savarkar should be given the Bharat Ratna. Karpoori Thakur is a leader of the OBC and we are happy that he has been named for the Bharat Ratna,” Raut said.

    Since it is a poll season, Bihar is important for the BJP, Raut said. Bihar, which sends 40 MPs to the Lok Sabha, is currently governed by Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal. “BJP’s every step is for political selfishness. Key people who participated in the freedom struggle are honoured but why is Savarkar not conferred on Bharat Ratna? Why is BJP fleeing from conferring Bharat Ratna on him,” Raut asked. A polarising figure in modern Indian history, Savarkar is known as “Swatantryaveer” and is revered among several quarters in the country, especially Maharashtra, for his contribution to the freedom struggle.

    However, critics charge him as a hard-line Hindutva leader.

  • Ram temple consecration: Ram temple consecration: Uddhav sent invitation by speed post; Sanjay Raut slams govt

    Shiv Sena (UBT) president and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has been sent an invitation by speed post for the Ram temple consecration ceremony to be held in Ayodhya on Monday. Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut hit out at the government over the manner in which the Thackeray family has been treated.

    Maharashtra minister Uday Samant, who belongs to the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, said speed post is used to ensure the invitation reaches faster and it has been done.

    However, Raut reacted sharply to the speed post invite saying, “You worship Lord Ram, and rule like Ravan (demon king). Lord Ram will curse you. All film stars are invited but the Thackeray family that has been closely associated with movement is treated in such a manner.” Uddhav Thackeray will be in Nashik for a two-day visit from Monday.

    He will offer prayers at the Kalaram temple there and perform a ‘maha aarti’ on the Godavari river bank on Monday.

    On Tuesday, he will participate in a day-long convention of his party in Nashik. The much-awaited Ram temple consecration will be held in Ayodhya city of Uttar Pradesh on Monday in a grand ceremony with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the rituals, following which the shrine will be opened for the public a day later. While more than 7,000 people are in the long list of invitees, the select list features 506 A-listers.

    Those attending the “Pran Prathishtha” also include people linked to the agitation for the temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi.

    Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, business tycoons Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar are among the prominent people to be invited.

    Almost all opposition leaders invited to the ceremony have declined to attend the ceremony, with the Congress calling it a BJP-RSS event.

  • Uddhav Thackeray: Uddhav Thackeray tries to soothe frayed nerves as Congress fumes over Sanjay Raut’s remarks on Lok Sabha seats

    Amid a row over Sanjay Raut’s remarks that Shiv Sena (UBT) would contest 23 of the 48 seats in upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, party chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said he won’t do anything that would hurt the MVA alliance. His remarks are seen as a snub to Raut whose “23 seats for Shiv Sena” statement ruffled many feathers in Congress, an ally in the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

    Talking to reporters here, Thackeray said the ticket distribution will take place smoothly and that he has spoken to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi.

    A day before, Raut had caused a flutter saying Shiv Sena (UBT) would contest 23 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. He had also said the seat-sharing talks with Congress would have to “start from zero” as the latter had “not won any seat’” in the previous elections, a statement drawing a sharp response from state Congress leaders.

    “I will not do anything that will hurt the MVA. So I will not pay attention to those who say anything. Until the Congress president speaks on this issue (seat-sharing), till that time, neither I nor anyone from my side will comment,” Thackeray said.

    The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief also said the ticket distribution will take place smoothly. “The discussion between the Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) has been smooth,” he added. Thackeray also said efforts are on to have a joint meeting with MVA members- Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress, and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction)- and Prakash Amedbkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi.

    While Shiv Sena (UBT) and VBA have already forged an alliance, no call was yet taken on the induction of the Ambedkar-led outfit in the MVA fold and any electoral tie-up.

    In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Shiv Sena (Undivided) won 18 of the 23 seats it had contested in Maharashtra while its ally BJP bagged 23 of 25 constituencies. The NCP (undivided) emerged victorious on 4 seats while Congress’ tally was just one seat.

  • Shiv Sena (UBT) To Contest 2024 LS Polls On All 23 Seats In Maharashtra: Sanjay Raut On Seat-Sharing |

    New Delhi: The INDIA bloc, representing a united front of the opposition, is gearing up for the imminent Lok Sabha Elections. While discussions among opposition parties are ongoing to determine seat allocations in various states for the LS polls, it appears that Shiv Sena (UBT) is set to contest all 23 seats in Maharashtra.

    On Friday, Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut asserted that while Congress may be a national party, Shiv Sena (UBT) holds significant influence in Maharashtra as a major political force. He affirmed that, as in the past, the party will participate in the election from all 23 seats, and there will be no alteration in the seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

    “Uddhav Thackeray is having positive discussions with the decision-making leaders of Congress including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Venugopal. We have always said that Shiv Sena has always been fighting on 23 seats in the Lok Sabha elections including Dadra and Nagar Haveli and that will be firm,” Sanjay Raut told ANI.

    #WATCH | On seat sharing in INDIA alliance, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, “…This is Maharashtra and Shiv Sena is the biggest party here. Congress is a national party… Uddhav Thackeray is having positive discussions with the decision-making leaders of Congress including… pic.twitter.com/Uy5VCKSs5U
    — ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2023

    He said that in the meeting it was decided that further decisions on seats won by Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP would be taken later, adding that the Congress is an important ally and discussion will be held to decide the seat sharing ratio.

    “During our (INDIA alliance) meeting, we decided that discussions will be done later on the seats that we have won. Congress did not win a seat in Maharashtra so they have to start from zero (seats) but Congress is an important ally for us in MVA. We will work together,” he added.

    Even today Shiv Sena (UBT) is the number one party in Maharashtra, he asserted. “People are in full support of Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar. On the issue of seat sharing, there is no conflict among MVA. Shiv Sena has always been fighting on 23 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. We are having positive discussions with the decision-making leaders of Congress regarding seat sharing. On the seat-sharing we will talk with the Congress leaders only in Delhi and not Maharashtra local leaders,” he added.

  • Shinde will be replaced, Ajit Pawar could become CM: Raut after portfolio allocation 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday claimed Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be replaced and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar could helm the government in future.

    “Ajit Pawar could become the CM in future. It is certain that the CM (Eknath Shinde) will be replaced,” Raut claimed after Pawar was given the finance and planning ministries.

    Ambadas Danve, Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, said time is exacting revenge on the Shiv Sena 40 MLAs who rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray.

    Danve said the Shiv Sena MLAs had accused Ajit Pawar of depriving them of funds when they were part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and left the party and today the same person has become the state’s finance minister.

    Shinde’s rebellion last year split the original Shiv Sena and caused the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government, comprising Sena, Congress and NCP.

    Shinde then joined hands with the BJP to become the CM in June 2022. Ajit Pawar and his supporters became a part of the ruling coalition this month after breaking away from the Sharad Pawar-founded NCP.

    Apart from Ajit Pawar, eight other NCP ministers were also given portfolios, said a statement by CM Shinde’s office.

    It said Dhananjay Munde has been given Agriculture, while Dilip Walse-Patil will be the new Cooperation minister. The other NCP leaders with newly allocated ministries are Hasan Mushrif (Medical Education), Chhagan Bhujbal (Food and Civil Supplies), Dharmrao Atram (Food and Drugs Administration), Sanjay Bansode (Sports), Aditi Tatkare (Woman and Child Development) and Anil Patil (Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management), it said.

    READ MORE: Shinde going, going… Ajit Pawar readies to be Maha successor

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday claimed Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be replaced and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar could helm the government in future.

    “Ajit Pawar could become the CM in future. It is certain that the CM (Eknath Shinde) will be replaced,” Raut claimed after Pawar was given the finance and planning ministries.

    Ambadas Danve, Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, said time is exacting revenge on the Shiv Sena 40 MLAs who rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Danve said the Shiv Sena MLAs had accused Ajit Pawar of depriving them of funds when they were part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and left the party and today the same person has become the state’s finance minister.

    Shinde’s rebellion last year split the original Shiv Sena and caused the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government, comprising Sena, Congress and NCP.

    Shinde then joined hands with the BJP to become the CM in June 2022. Ajit Pawar and his supporters became a part of the ruling coalition this month after breaking away from the Sharad Pawar-founded NCP.

    Apart from Ajit Pawar, eight other NCP ministers were also given portfolios, said a statement by CM Shinde’s office.

    It said Dhananjay Munde has been given Agriculture, while Dilip Walse-Patil will be the new Cooperation minister. The other NCP leaders with newly allocated ministries are Hasan Mushrif (Medical Education), Chhagan Bhujbal (Food and Civil Supplies), Dharmrao Atram (Food and Drugs Administration), Sanjay Bansode (Sports), Aditi Tatkare (Woman and Child Development) and Anil Patil (Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management), it said.

    READ MORE: Shinde going, going… Ajit Pawar readies to be Maha successor

  • Ajit Pawar capable of becoming Maha CM, says Sanjay Raut

    By PTI

    JALGAON: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday said Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar was capable of becoming Maharashtra chief minister since he has vast administrative experience, the statement coming days after the two engaged in a verbal tussle.

    Notably, amid speculation surrounding his next political move, Ajit Pawar on Friday said he would “100 per cent” like to become the chief minister. He had also said that NCP can stake a claim to the post of the chief minister “now also” instead of waiting for 2024.

    Raut, a key aide of Uddhav Thackeray, also said some undeserving people had gone on to become CM of the state by engineering splits, an apparent reference to Eknath Shinde whose rebellion along with 40 MLAs in June last year brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

    Raut also said there is no difference regarding the chief minister’s post in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which includes Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP, and Congress, and the alliance is united and strong. He asserted that the MVA will come back (to power) in 2024 and it “will look into it (the post of chief minister).”

    “Who would not like to be chief minister? And Ajit Pawar is capable of becoming chief minister. He has been in politics for so many years now and has been a minister several times. He holds a record for having served as deputy CM the most number of times. Everyone thinks one should become CM,” Raut told reporters.

    ALSO READ | Why 2024, NCP can stake claim to Maharashtra CM post now also: Ajit Pawar

    On November 23, 2019, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar, were sworn in as chief minister and deputy CM, respectively, but the government fell without proving its majority on November 28. Ajit Pawar went back to the NCP and was made deputy CM in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray.

    During an interview with a media house in Pune, Ajit Pawar on Friday responded to a query on his chief ministerial ambitions by saying “Yes, I would 100 per cent like to be (CM).”

    Queried on this, Raut said, “He (Ajit Pawar) has not expressed this desire for the first time. So my best wishes to him.”

    These statements come amid intense speculation about Ajit Pawar’s next political move, as the mercurial NCP leader cancelled some of his programmes recently, went incommunicado briefly and skipped the party’s one-day convention in Mumbai on Friday.

    While there is a buzz about his growing proximity with the ruling BJP, Ajit Pawar has said he will be with the NCP till he is alive, and Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule also recently stated the former was not in touch with the saffron party.

    ALSO READ | Sharad Pawar tightens his grip over NCP, tells Ajit not to break it

    Sparks flew recently between Ajit Pawar and Raut after the latter’s weekly column in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ dealt with a meeting between NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray.

    Raut, in his column, claimed Sharad Pawar had told Thackeray that the NCP would never align with the BJP, though “if anyone takes a personal decision to leave, it is their individual issue.”

    Hitting back, Ajit Pawar, on Tuesday, trained his guns on Raut and said some spokespersons of other parties were behaving like spokespersons of the NCP. The former deputy CM also said he would raise this issue whenever there is a meeting of the NCP.

    Raut responded by saying he listens only to Sharad Pawar.

    JALGAON: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday said Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar was capable of becoming Maharashtra chief minister since he has vast administrative experience, the statement coming days after the two engaged in a verbal tussle.

    Notably, amid speculation surrounding his next political move, Ajit Pawar on Friday said he would “100 per cent” like to become the chief minister. He had also said that NCP can stake a claim to the post of the chief minister “now also” instead of waiting for 2024.

    Raut, a key aide of Uddhav Thackeray, also said some undeserving people had gone on to become CM of the state by engineering splits, an apparent reference to Eknath Shinde whose rebellion along with 40 MLAs in June last year brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Raut also said there is no difference regarding the chief minister’s post in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which includes Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP, and Congress, and the alliance is united and strong. He asserted that the MVA will come back (to power) in 2024 and it “will look into it (the post of chief minister).”

    “Who would not like to be chief minister? And Ajit Pawar is capable of becoming chief minister. He has been in politics for so many years now and has been a minister several times. He holds a record for having served as deputy CM the most number of times. Everyone thinks one should become CM,” Raut told reporters.

    ALSO READ | Why 2024, NCP can stake claim to Maharashtra CM post now also: Ajit Pawar

    On November 23, 2019, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar, were sworn in as chief minister and deputy CM, respectively, but the government fell without proving its majority on November 28. Ajit Pawar went back to the NCP and was made deputy CM in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray.

    During an interview with a media house in Pune, Ajit Pawar on Friday responded to a query on his chief ministerial ambitions by saying “Yes, I would 100 per cent like to be (CM).”

    Queried on this, Raut said, “He (Ajit Pawar) has not expressed this desire for the first time. So my best wishes to him.”

    These statements come amid intense speculation about Ajit Pawar’s next political move, as the mercurial NCP leader cancelled some of his programmes recently, went incommunicado briefly and skipped the party’s one-day convention in Mumbai on Friday.

    While there is a buzz about his growing proximity with the ruling BJP, Ajit Pawar has said he will be with the NCP till he is alive, and Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule also recently stated the former was not in touch with the saffron party.

    ALSO READ | Sharad Pawar tightens his grip over NCP, tells Ajit not to break it

    Sparks flew recently between Ajit Pawar and Raut after the latter’s weekly column in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ dealt with a meeting between NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray.

    Raut, in his column, claimed Sharad Pawar had told Thackeray that the NCP would never align with the BJP, though “if anyone takes a personal decision to leave, it is their individual issue.”

    Hitting back, Ajit Pawar, on Tuesday, trained his guns on Raut and said some spokespersons of other parties were behaving like spokespersons of the NCP. The former deputy CM also said he would raise this issue whenever there is a meeting of the NCP.

    Raut responded by saying he listens only to Sharad Pawar.