New Delhi: Clarifying his stance, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday stated that he had never called for the dissolution of the opposition INDIA bloc or the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra.
His comments followed his party’s decision to contest the Maharashtra local body polls alone. Raut pointed out that the decision was driven by the lack of opportunities for every alliance party’s workers and the need for organisational growth.
The move by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has become the latest point of rift in the Congress-led INDIA bloc, after alliance partners chose to support the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) against the Congress in the Delhi assembly election.
The INDIA bloc and MVA alliances comprise the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (SP).
Sanjay Raut clarifies his position
The Rajya Sabha MP said: “My party or I have never said that the INDIA bloc or the MVA should be dissolved.” Raut highlighted the distinct objectives of the Lok Sabha, state polls, and local body elections. “The MVA was formed for the assembly polls, and the INDIA bloc for the Lok Sabha elections. The local body elections are meant to empower party workers and strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level,” Raut was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The Sena leader urged the Congress party to hear his full remarks before flaying his position. “Congress leaders should develop the habit of listening to others,” Raut pointed out. The MP also stated that his party aims to utilise the local body polls to ensure its new ‘flaming torch’ (poll) symbol reaches electorates at the grassroots level.
The bow and arrow symbol of the original Shiv Sena was granted to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Sena faction following his rebellion and subsequent alliance with the BJP to form the Mahayuti government.
In the November 2024 assembly elections that the ruling Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP bagged 230 out of the state’s 288 seats, slashing the MVA’s seat count to 46. Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP) secured 20, 16, and 10 seats, respectively.
(with inputs from PTI)
