Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday made a bold claim, saying that the Maharashtra government will soon get a third deputy chief minister from the Ektnath Shinde Sena camp, amid speculations about a rift in the party and minister Uday Samant leading a rebellion.
Speaking to reporters outside his residences, Raut said, “Maharashtra will get a third deputy CM soon. It will be someone from among them (Shinde Shiv Sena)…Power comes and goes, but we are strongly standing on our feet here”.
#WATCH | Mumbai | Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, “…Maharashtra will get a third deputy CM soon. It will be someone from among them (Shiv Sena- Shinde)…Power comes and goes, but we are strongly standing on our feet here. ” pic.twitter.com/uVfpV8MOcY
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2025
The remarks are the latest in Raut’s claims about a rift in the Mahayuti alliance partner and the possibility of Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samang splitting the Shiv Sena and replacing Shinde as its leader.
Samant dismissed the allegations as “political childishness,” describing them as attempts to create a rift between him and Shinde. Meanwhile, discussions have emerged about the Industries Minister’s growing influence within the Shiv Sena.
On Wednesday, Raut claimed that Samant was working to weaken the Shiv Sena. “Samant has gone to Davos to break Sena MLAs and MPs. He has the backing of Delhi and full support from Delhi’s leadership (a reference to the BJP’s top brass). Fadnavis no longer wants Shinde. Soon, even Prime Minister Narendra Modi will distance himself from Shinde,” Raut alleged.
In response, Samant countered by stating that in the next three months, several MLAs and MPs from Sena UBT and Congress would be joining the Shiv Sena.
