Governors, ED targeting only govts of Maharashtra, West Bengal: Sanjay Raut

The governors and Enforcement Directorate (ED) are harassing only the state governments of Maharashtra and West Bengal, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut alleged on Thursday.

"Governors are targeting state governments in Maharashtra and West Bengal only. Other states also have governors and ED offices, but they are not targeting BJP-ruled states," he said, speaking to reporters here.

Earlier this week, the ED said it had attached assets worth Rs 6.45 crore of a company owned by Shridhar Patankar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's brother-in-law, in connection with a money laundering investigation.

The Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government has also clashed with governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on several occasions. In West Bengal too, the relations between the Trinamool Congress government and the governor are often strained. The home ministry of Maharashtra has a great tradition and it will never pursue vendetta against anyone unlike central agencies, Raut further said. Asked about a temple management in Udupi district of Karnataka deciding not to allow 'people from other faith' to do business on its land during an annual festival on the request of some pro-Hindu organisations, Raut said such actions would create a situation like the one which prevailed before Partition.

Meanwhile, in reply to another question, Raut said the chief minister will soon take a decision about giving representation to Sena MLAs from Vidarbha in the cabinet.

Sanjay Rathod, the only Sena minister who hailed from the region, stepped down last year.