Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Sanjay Raut. (ANI) Amid speculation of a rift in the Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut claimed Sunday his party’s chief Uddhav Thackeray has been assured by Sharad Pawar that the NCP will not tie up with the BJP—even if some MLAs quit.
In his weekly column, Rok Thok, published in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana, Raut wrote, “On Tuesday, Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar met. He (Pawar) said no one wants to leave the party but their families are being targeted…If anyone wants to take any personal decision, then it is their lookout but as a party, we will not take the decision to go with BJP…This is what Sharad Pawar told Uddhav Thackeray”.
Raut said, “People in Maharashtra are fed up with the incumbent… Both Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray believe that those who will go with BJP will be committing political suicide.”
Referring to an issue raised by Sharad Pawar, Raut said, “The NCP chief said ‘those who are leaving the party out of the BJP fear, I want to tell them that when they join BJP, your files will go to the cupboards but these ED-CBI files can never be closed’”.
The Sena (UBT) leader said currently the BJP is working on Season 2, which is causing a dent in the NCP. “In Season 1, the Shiv Sena was split and now in Season 2, the NCP would be split.”
“Breaking a party is democracy. This is what some parties believe. Every day, we are witnessing how India’s democracy is being trampled upon. Until yesterday, they were buying voters but now they are purchasing MLAs and MPs and that too with ease,” Raut said.
He added, “The BJP split the Shiv Sena and formed a government in Maharashtra with the help of 40 MLAs. This was immoral. Of these, there is a possibility of the Supreme Court disqualifying 16 MLAs. And, therefore, to protect its regime, the BJP is conspiring to break the NCP with the help of ED and CBI.”