Sanjay Raut (Image source: ANI)
NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday alleged that Members of Parliament from his party were being offered ?15 crore each to switch sides, as speculation intensified over a possible split in the Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit.Taking to X, the Rajya Sabha MP wrote: “Apna Sapna Money Money! It’s shocking and revolting that Maharashtra MPs are reportedly being offered ?15 crore each tonight to switch sides.” Raut’s allegation came amid growing political speculation that some Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs could break away and form a separate group, similar to the split seen in other regional parties in recent years.The speculation gained momentum after Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik signalled that dissident MPs and MLAs would be welcomed into deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s faction.”If public representatives like MPs and MLAs do not trust their leadership… If they believe in the ideals of Sena founder Bal Thackeray and are willing to trust the leadership of Eknath Shinde, then the doors of the Shiv Sena are open to them,” Sarnaik said. He added that such leaders would be given “priority” if they decided to join in the future.The rumours were further fuelled after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Deshmukh met Union minister and Shiv Sena leader Prataprao Jadhav in New Delhi. Deshmukh had also skipped a meeting called by Uddhav Thackeray at his Mumbai residence on Sunday, citing family commitments. Only four of the party’s nine Lok Sabha MPs attended the meeting in person, leading to renewed questions about unity within the organisation. However, Raut insisted that all MPs remained loyal to Thackeray and dismissed reports of an impending rebellion.”All Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs are together and will remain together,” he told reporters at Parliament House in New Delhi.Rejecting suggestions that he had travelled to the capital to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla over fears of a split, Raut said a “wrong picture was being painted” about the party’s strength.”The (undivided) Shiv Sena has a legacy of 60 years and has a history of agitating for different causes. We have seen many ups and downs in the past. But ours is a cadre-based party. MLAs and MPs come and go, but the party remains,” he said.Targeting the BJP, Raut accused it of engineering splits in political parties and warned: “Hamara din jab aayega, hum dikhayenge party kaise todi jata hai.”
