NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP leadership over the BMC polls, questioning the plans about involvement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and other leaders in campaigning for local polls. Addressing a press conference, Raut said, “Why PM Modi and UP CM Yogi are planning to campaign for local polls? Is Maha Bjp and their CM incapable?” He added, “Why is Yogi Adityanath coming? Other states’ CM will also come, they will just spoil the atmosphere. Somebody said, in Mumbai only the Jai Shri Ram slogan would work. I say here only Jai Maharashtra, Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji will work. By bringing in other leaders you’re showing your weakness. You wanna fight by bringing in leaders and ministers from outside, we would fight on our own capabilities.” Raut also criticised Eknath Shinde’s faction of Shiv Sena over seat-sharing with the BJP for the upcoming elections, alleging that it gave into BJP’ s demands. “So far, Shiv Sena gave seats to BJP, but now Shiv Sena is receiving seats because of Amit Shah. In the last 60 years, Shiv Sena has never bowed down to anyone and compromised in Mumbai, but Eknath Shinde’s faction has gone to Amit Shah; this is shameful. Eknath Shinde’s faction will contest on the seats given to them by the BJP. This was shocking to me… This is a misfortune for Marathi people,” he said. The Mahayuti alliance finalised its seat-sharing on Monday, with the BJP contesting 137 seats and Shinde’s Shiv Sena 90. In contrast, Shiv Sena (UBT), which has allied with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), will contest around 140 seats. Raut also hinted at an alliance with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP-SCP.The Thackeray brothers – Uddhav and Raj – have joined hands ahead of the polls, reviving the “son of the soil” narrative. Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar-led NCP released its second list of 27 candidates on Monday, a day after announcing 37 names. Voting for 29 municipal corporation elections across Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Pune, and Pimpri-Chinchwad, is scheduled for January 15, with counting on January 16.(With inputs from agencies)
