Sanjay Raut scripted Shiv Sena's win in Dadra & Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha byelections

MUMBAI: He is known as a fiery spokesperson and an ace editor, but with the Shiv Sena’s win in the Dadra & Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha byelections, Sanjay Raut is now one of Sena’s master poll strategists too. According to Sena insiders, it was Raut who scripted this win right from getting the Delkars into the Sena and planning the campaign.
Over the last few years, Raut has been the Sena’s face outside Maharashtra. From organising Sena president Uddhav Thackeray’s visit to Ayodhya to leading the party’s campaigns in other states like Goa and Karnataka, Raut has been pushing the Sena to spread outside Maharashtra. Raut has also been a key networking player for Sena in New Delhi.
Senior Sena leaders largely credit Raut for the Kalaben Delkar’s win on Tuesday. According to Sena functionaries, there was buzz that Kalaben or her son Abhinav Delkar would contest the byelection on a BJP ticket. But the two joined the Sena which made its first foray in the UT. Raut had played a key role in getting them into the Sena.
“First step outside Maharashtra, a giant leap towards Delhi via Dadra Nagar Haveli !” Raut tweeted soon after the results along with the photo of him with Maharashtra chief minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.
“This win is significant. We have won many elections and lost many too. But outside Maharashtra, this is our first win. We had tried very hard to go beyond Maharashtra and we needed one win. This is the biggest win in the history of Dadra & Nagar Haveli as the margin is over 50,000,” the Saamana executive editor said.
Raut was seen as a key architect of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government when it was formed in November 2019. Raut’s daily press conferences and acerbic attacks on the BJP were said to be appreciated not just by the Sena but the NCP too.
“Sanjay Raut has been in form since the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections results. For all practical purposes, he was the architect and face of the MVA till the government was formed. Even after that, he is the strongest anti-BJP voice in the MVA. While he was always a good orator, writer and sharp spokesperson, he was not an electioneer. But with the Dadra & Nagar Haveli win, he has now proved himself as a poll strategist,” a political observer said.
Raut was camping in Dadra & Nagar Haveli for several weeks in the run-up to the polls. Because of the UT’s proximity to Gujarat, the BJP and considerable presence in the region but the territory was new for the Sena.
While environment minister Aaditya Thackeray congratulated Kalaben, he made a special mention for Raut. “A special mention for the resolve of Smt Kalaben Delkar ji to contest the elections and win so as to give voice to her constituency. And of course, to Sanjay Raut ji’s efforts with Anil Desai ji, Abhinav Delkar and all those who campaigned for the Shiv Sena in the elections,” Aaditya tweeted.
Raut has pushed the Sena’s view not just in parliament but also in meetings with opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee among others.