MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday indirectly questioned his party leadership’s decision to stay away from campaigning in the recent Zilla Parishad (ZP) elections, saying there was a public perception that the outcome could have been different had Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray campaigned across the state.
Writing in his weekly column ‘Rokh Thok’ in Saamana, Raut said, “There is public sentiment that if the Thackeray cousins had campaigned in the ZP polls, the results would have been different.” Without naming his party chief directly, Raut’s remarks were seen as signalling discontent within sections of the Sena (UBT).
He also launched a sharp attack on the BJP, alleging that it has begun preparations for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections with a budget of ₹25,000 crore. “According to a senior leader, the BJP has started preparing for 2029 with ₹25,000 crore, and the amount may increase,” he claimed.
Raut argued that despite what he described as the BJP’s transformation of politics into a “trade” under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, several wealthy candidates were defeated in the ZP polls. He cited examples from Marathwada, including defeats of influential political families and victories of lesser-known candidates, to underline his claim that “self-confidence and determination” ultimately matter more than money power.
The remarks come weeks after Raut publicly expressed displeasure over Sena (UBT)’s decision to support the BJP in the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation mayoral election, instead of backing the Congress. The Sena (UBT)-BJP tie-up secured the mayor’s post for 15 months, but Raut had earlier told the media that his party would not support the BJP. Party insiders had indicated unease among some leaders over the move.
Reacting to Raut’s column, BJP leaders hit back. MLA Nitesh Rane took a swipe at the Thackerays, saying, “To campaign across Maharashtra, one needs to step out of the house.” Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar accused Raut of making baseless allegations and reminded him of his own legal troubles.
Raut had also alleged that Narwekar was protecting business interests linked to a Gujarat-based individual in connection with land matters in Alibaug, a charge strongly denied by the BJP, which termed the claims “fake and politically motivated.”