Mumbai:
Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday took on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah, stopping short of accusing him of keeping Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the dark about the power sharing deal that he (Shah) had struck with Sena president Uddhav Thackeray prior to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Reacting to Shah’s denial yesterday, the Sena leader remarked that maybe Shah did not convey what transpired between him and Thackeray behind close-doors to the Prime Minister. “Is PM Modi being kept away from the Sena?”, remarked Raut.
The Sena leader stated that the room at Matoshree where the two leaders held close-door talks is a temple like for the Sena. Raut said that had the PM been told of what had transpired behind the close doors, the Prime Minister being generous and large-hearted would not have allowed things to come to such a pass. Raut further remarked that for the Sena politics was not like business, trade or any job.
Raut said that Shah was dear to the Sena and that the Sena had never insulted the Prime Minister. He said that just like Sena president used to call the PM Narendra “bhai”, the PM to reciprocated by referring to Uddhav Thackeray as his younger brother in his elections rallies. Raut alleged that those who could not tolerate this bonhomie between the two.
Stating that the room of late Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray where the negotiations between Shah and Thackeray took place was like a temple for the Sena, he added that if what was agreed upon is being denied now after the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections then it is not political morality. He further argued that what was agreed upon behind close-doors is not being honored then those things are bound to come out in the open.
Countering Shah’s argument about why no one from the Sena objected to Devendra Fadnavis being projected as the next Chief Minister, Raut too remarked that even Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in his election rallies was stating that next Chief Minister will be from the Sena. He wanted to know as to why then no one from the BJP had raised any objection to it. Raut warned the BJP that no one could threaten or scare the Sena as it will not have any impact.
