Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him “just a temporary arrangement” and questioning his leadership in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Speaking at a press conference, Raut expressed his views on the political landscape, stating that Modi’s position as the Prime Minister was not permanent and that BJP’s rise to power was largely due to the contributions of leaders like L.K. Advani, who had dedicated decades to the party.
Raut pointed out, “Who is anyone’s boss? Modi, being the Prime Minister, is a temporary arrangement. Even Lord Ram and Lord Krishna left after completing their work. Advani was kept locked away like Shah Jahan while Modi became Prime Minister.”
Raut further emphasized the role of Advani in the BJP’s success, stating, “Today’s BJP reached the peak of power due to leaders like Advani, who worked for decades. Advani had the rightful claim to be Prime Minister, but he was sidelined like in a Mughal-style takeover.”
On the issue of Maharashtra’s political leadership, Raut dismissed any notion that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis could decide the successor, claiming, “Devendra Fadnavis will not decide this. This is not in his hands…”
Raut also made a pointed remark about Modi’s upcoming 75th birthday in September, referring to the Prime Minister’s self-imposed retirement rule. “Modi will turn 75 in September, and according to the rule, he must retire… Narendra Modi had himself introduced the 75-year-rule in his party. The rule was applied to leaders like Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi,” Raut said.
Turning his attention to the RSS, Raut further claimed that the RSS, as the parent organization of the BJP, would play a pivotal role in deciding the future direction of the party. “RSS is the parent organization of BJP… The elders (RSS) will decide the future course. If Fadnavis needs to be told what RSS means in politics, then he is a fake RSS volunteer,” Raut asserted.
He also questioned the BJP’s leadership structure, pointing out that the party had yet to appoint a new president despite the term of the current one having ended. “The BJP president’s term has ended, but they have not appointed a new one yet. The RSS has a crucial role in this matter. Something is cooking behind the scenes,” Raut suggested.
Finally, Raut addressed the Waqf Amendment Bill, urging NDA allies like Chandrababu Naidu, Nitish Kumar, and Apna Dal to take a clear stance on the bill before others could be questioned. “First, NDA allies like Chandrababu Naidu, Nitish Kumar, and Apna Dal should take a stand… Then ask others,” he concluded.
