"We are not moving our MLAs to any location, they are intact. If anyone has guts, I challenge them to do that, there will be consequences," Sanjay Raut warned.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday denied reports suggesting that the party, in a bid to avoid poaching of candidates, will be shifting its new-elected MLAs to the Trident Hotel in Mumbai. Raut said, "here is no need for us to do this, our MLAs are firm in their resolve and committed to the party. Those who are spreading such rumours should worry about their MLAs first." He also reiterated the party's stance that the Chief Minister of Maharashtra will be from Shiv Sena. The Shiv Sena leader, in turn, said that whoever tries to challenge the party will face the consequences.
Earlier, media sources had suggested that amid the Maharashtra power tussle, Shiv Sena had reportedly decided to shift its MLAs at the Trident Hotel in Mumbai soon after the meeting with party chief Uddhav Thackeray ends on Thursday afternoon. Certain reports also added that after being shifted to the hotel, the MLAs' phones will be confiscated so that they are not able to contact anyone. A common landline number will be provided to the MLAs to speak to their family members, the reports had added.
Sanjay Raut debunked those rumours today and said, "We are not moving our MLAs to any location, they are intact. If anyone has guts, I challenge them to do that, there will be consequences. But some leaders from other parties have spoken about that fear with their MLAs. It has been seen that in such a situation, the ruling party is involved in horse-trading and pressure tactics. But what happened in Karnataka and Goa will not be allowed to happen here."
On Wednesday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had met governor Koshyari and said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should form the government as it is the single largest party in the state. "We met Maharashtra Governor, Republican Party of India's Ramdas Athawale also met him. And if BJP leaders are meeting Governor tomorrow, to stake claim then they should form govt as they are the single largest party, we have been saying it", he had said.
On Thursday's latest development, A delegation of BJP leaders that was supposed to meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at 11:30 AM was suddenly postponed without further explanation. The delegation, comprising leaders like state BJP President Chandrakant Patil, Sudhir Mungatiwar, and Ashish Shelar, is now slated to meet the governor at 2 PM instead. The Shiv Sena also has, in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', indirectly accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of poaching newly-elected candidates to retain power. The editorial also took its digs at several BJP leaders and reiterated Shiv Sena's stance of the earlier '50:50 formula' for the post of the Chief Minister, ahead of the last date for government formation in Maharashtra, which is November 8.
Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari is also slated to meet Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday to discuss the political situation in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, however, categorically ruled out mediation by the RSS in government formation in Maharashtra. Talking to reporters, the Sena MP said, ''No talks are going on with the RSS on it”.
Both BJP and Shiv Sena have locked horns as the latter has insisted on a coalition government under 50:50 formula, an agreement it claims was made between the two parties before the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. The BJP, however, has maintained that the 50:50 formula meant equal share in the government and not the CM's post for 2.5 years. There was no agreement for the chief minister's position, the party has affirmed.
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 "Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut")
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