MVA under a cloud, Sanjay Raut says many in BJP keen on aligning with Sena (UBT), feeling ‘mutual’

Referring to this, Raut said: “Chandrakant Patil has been a protagonist of the Shiv Sena-BJP confederation since the beginning… The confederation earlier had an older generation, including leaders similar Chandrakant dada. Now, determination are galore newbies successful the BJP. They bash not recognize the value of this confederation of 25 years… But the feelings of Chandrakant Patil are the aforesaid arsenic the feelings of galore successful that party. Because we worked good with them (the BJP) for 25 years.”

Raut added that the Sena (when it was united) besides worked good with Narendra Modi, hinting that it were different elder BJP leaders who were liable for the split.

Thanking Patil for “expressing his feelings”, Raut besides claimed that the Eknath Shinde Sena’s confederation with the BJP would not last. “His faction volition beryllium breached similar our Sena was broken.”

Raut’s connection comes against the backdrop of a gathering betwixt BJP person and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Uddhav during the Winter Session of the Maharashtra Assembly. Uddhav, who was accompanied by lad Aaditya and different Sena (UBT) MLAs, had said helium met Fadnavis to congratulate him connected becoming the CM.

Apart from this, Aaditya has had different meetings with Fadnavis since the Assembly elections, successful which the MVA was stunned by the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.

Next up are the civic elections successful Maharashtra, including for the prestigious Brihnanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The undivided Sena enjoyed a monopoly successful the BMC, and Uddhav cannot spend to concede immoderate further crushed to the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, which is an state of the BJP.

Many judge that the caller moves are not conscionable attempts by the Sena (UBT) to get person to Fadnavis owing to the caller friction betwixt it and MVA spouse Congress but besides meant to rattle Shinde.

The Sena (UBT) has indicated that it volition contention the BMC polls alone, alternatively than successful concern with MVA allies Congress and the NCP (SP). The Congress excessively has made akin noises, though NCP (SP) main Sharad Pawar precocious said that an confederation for civic polls was not ruled retired arsenic yet.

The gathering betwixt BJP curate Chandrakant Patil and Uddhav took spot astatine the wedding reception of BJP MLA Parag Alavani’s daughter. Uddhav’s PA and MLC Milind Narvekar asked Patil astatine the relation erstwhile the 2 leaders would travel unneurotic again. To that, Patil quipped, “I’m waiting for that aureate moment.”

Responding to that, Raut said Thursday: “We joined the MVA due to the fact that of the adamant quality of immoderate radical successful the BJP… If we look astatine the reasons implicit which the 25-year confederation broke, our stance was right. What we were demanding from the BJP was fixed to Eknath Shinde aft our enactment split. Amit Shah rejected our request (of a Sena CM), and decided to interruption the Shiv Sena.”

Asked whether helium excessively thought that the Sena (UBT) and BJP coming unneurotic would beryllium “a aureate moment”, Raut said helium would hold and watch. “I volition reply astatine the close time… We are looking astatine what volition hap next.”

While the agreed Sena and BJP had contested the 2019 Assembly polls together, they divided aft the BJP refused to concede the Sena’s request for CM position. The Sena past joined hands with the Congress and NCP to signifier the MVA and a government, which fell aft the Sena divided successful mid-2022.

In the 2017 BMC polls, which the undivided Sena and BJP contested separately, the Sena finished arsenic the single-largest enactment with 85 seats and 30.41% of the votes. The BJP, though, gave it a scare, finishing conscionable down with 82 seats and 28.28% votes.

In the 2024 Assembly polls, the BJP was the astir palmy enactment by far, winning 132 seats, with a ballot stock of 26.77%. The Sena (UBT) won lone 20 seats, with 9.96% votes.