Sanjay Raut questions Raj Thackeray's abrupt flip-flop to back BJP in Maha polls

Mumbai, Oct 31 : Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday questioned Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray's sudden decision to root for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming November 20 state Assembly elections.

"What has happened in barely one month that Raj Thackeray has said that the Mahayuti government will return to power with Devendra Fadnavis becoming the next CM? Is there any pressure from the central probe agencies like ED, CBI..." Raut said.

Scoffing at Raj Thackeray’s confidence over the Mahayuti's comeback, the SS (UBT) Chief Spokesperson predicted that the BJP may fail to bag even 50 seats and the MNS might get 150 seats, if it wanted to form or be part of the new government after November 23.

"So, in such a case, he (Raj Thackeray) should become the CM... We have been seeing this joke in state politics for the past 25 years... It's hilarious. They have been contesting elections since 2009 and we are monitoring the support to MNS," said Raut, taking a dig at both the MNS and BJP.

Slamming Raj Thackeray, Raut asked what could have made the MNS chief have a change of heart when he had in the past asserted that helping Fadnavis or Union Home Minister Amit Shah is akin to insulting the people of this state.

"He had even declared that PM Narendra Modi and Shah should not be allowed to set foot in Maharashtra as they are the enemies of the Marathis. 'Aata kai jhaale' (what has transpired now)? Does Raj Thackeray consider them as the saviours of this state now," asked Raut.

The SS (UBT) leader's remarks came against the backdrop of Raj Thackeray’s recent proclamation of support for a MahaYuti government along with Fadnavis as CM and the MNS joining it, creating more than just a political flutter.

More so, as his son Amit (Raj) Thackeray is making his maiden electoral run from the Mahim seat in a triangular fight, but faces a rough ride with the Mahayuti ally Shiv Sena;s Sadanand S. Sarvankar jumping into the fray, along with SS (UBT)'s local strongman Mahesh Sawant.

Incidentally, in the 2019 Assembly polls, Raj Thackeray had said that the MNS would not field any nominee against his nephew, Aditya (Uddhav) Thackeray, who had made his poll debut from Mahim then, won and became a minister in the erstwhile MVA regime.

This time, no such niceties are evident. The SS (UBT) has fielded Sawant against Amit (Raj) Thackeray and SS' Sarvankar (the Chairman of the 223-year old Siddhivinayak Ganpati Temple Trust, with MoS rank) in Mahim; and in Worli, Aditya Thackeray is pitted against MNS' general secretary Sandeep Deshpande and SS' strongman Milind M. Deora.

This is the latest in a series of flip-flops that Raj Thackeray has become notorious for in political circles and all major alliances have kept him and the 18-year-old MNS at a safe distance, though this time he is rubbing shoulders with Deputy CM Fadnavis.

Nevertheless, political circles were agog with speculation that there may be surprises and "son-rises" in store in Mahim and Worli in the next few days, before the last date for withdrawals, November 4, and the November 20 polling.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: qnajmi@gmail.com)