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Sanjay Raut
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday said he will talk to the Congress high command over its Mumbai unit's decision to go solo in the forthcoming city civic body polls, as the move could benefit the BJP. Speaking to reporters after a break of more than a month, Raut, who is undergoing medical treatment, also said it is necessary to have the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi fold to ensure the ruling BJP's defeat. Elections to various local bodies in the state are scheduled for Tuesday. The schedule for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and some other civic bodies has not yet been announced. The Supreme Court has directed that the local body polls in Maharashtra be completed by January 31, 2026. Last month, the Mumbai Congress ruled out an alliance with the MNS and said it will contest the civic body polls independently. However, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) insists that the Congress should be
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Mumbai, should announce assistance for farmers who faced losses due to the recent floods in Maharashtra. Speaking to reporters here, Raut said the Central government should have declared a relief package for farmers. Earlier this week, Fadnavis said that rains and floods had damaged 60 lakh hectares of land in Maharashtra, as per the initial estimate, and the government has decided to extend all benefits and measures usually provided during drought to the affected people. He, however, didn't declare a wet drought as demanded by the Opposition, saying no such provision exists in the official manual. Raut said, "A relief package for farmers should have been announced from Delhi. The prime minister should announce assistance for flood-affected farmers during his visit to Mumbai." He further slammed Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam over his claims about a delay in the announcement of party .
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday claimed gambling to the tune of Rs 1.5 lakh crore took place on the India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match played a day earlier, of which Rs 25,000 crore went to Pakistan. Talking to reporters, the Rajya Sabha MP said the Pakistan Cricket Board got Rs 1,000 crore from the India-Pakistan match, adding that "this money will be used against us". "Gambling of 1.5 lakh crore took place in yesterday's match of which Rs 25,000 crore went to Pakistan. This money will be used against us. Doesn't the government or the BCCI know it?" Raut claimed. A seven-wicket win for India ended on a hard-edged note as their players refused the customary handshake with their counterparts from Pakistan after a collective decision endorsed by an important member of the support staff and okayed by the BCCI. Raut, whose party was opposed to the match, dubbed it as a farce and claimed the refusal was not a spur-of-the-moment call. The match was played despite calls .
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and sought support for the NDA's vice-presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan, party leader Sanjay Raut said on Thursday. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has fielded Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan as its vice-presidential candidate, while the opposition INDIA bloc has fielded former Supreme Court judge B Sudarshan Reddy. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut, a Rajya Sabha member of the Sena (UBT), said, "Rajnath (Singh) and Devendra Fadnavis called up Uddhav Thackeray and they requested for voting (in favour of Radhakrishnan). They must have done it to others as well. It's their job." He, however, did not elaborate when the calls were made to Thackeray. Radhakrishnan, a seasoned BJP leader from Tamil Nadu with an RSS background, filed his nomination papers as the NDA's vice-presidential candidate on Wednesday, while INDIA bloc
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said on Thursday that arrangements like the INDIA bloc or the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are not necessary for the upcoming local and civic body elections in Maharashtra. The Rajya Sabha member was speaking to reporters here during a routine media interaction. MVA was formed for the Maharashtra assembly elections, and the INDIA bloc for the Lok Sabha polls. There is no need for such alliances when it comes to civic elections, he said. About two dozen parties from across the country are a part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), while MVA comprises the Congress, Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP). Raut also referred to public sentiment in Mumbai and other cities for a joint contest between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). There is pressure from people that Sena (UBT) and MNS should contest the civic polls in Mumbai and other cities in the state together. However, since the ...
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde, questioning their silence over BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's remarks on the language issue in the state. Speaking to reporters here, Raut said Shiv Sena chief Shinde and his supporters should remove the photographs of the late Bal Thackeray from their offices if they continued to ally with Dubey. Amid an outrage over MNS workers thrashing a shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi, Dubey has courted controversy with his reported "patak patak ke marenge" (will thrash you) remarks targeting party chief Raj Thackeray and his cousin Uddhav Thackeray. "To those beating Hindi speakers in Mumbai, if you have the courage, try beating Urdu speakers in Maharashtra. Even a dog is a tiger in its own home. Decide for yourself who is the dog and who is the tiger," the Godda MP posted on X. Raut slammed Dubey for his remarks, alleging that he was a "middlema
Days after the Maharashtra government withdrew orders on three-language policy in schools, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said they will hold a rally on July 5 to observe it as "Marathi Vijay Diwas". He also asked the BJP-led Mahayuti government to stop misleading people of the state, in reference to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' claim that Uddhav Thackeray, as the then CM, had accepted recommendations of the Dr Raghunath Mashelkar committee to introduce a three-language policy from class 1 to 12 and set up a committee on the policy implementation. Raut urged the government to produce and publicly burn any government resolution (GR) allegedly issued under the previous Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. "Let them bring that GR, and burn it if it exists," Raut told reporters, slamming the BJP for "forcibly imposing" Hindi on Marathi-speaking students. "We have opposed the BJP government's resolution which was indirectly enforcing Hindi as the third ...
A Mumbai court on Thursday issued a non-bailable warrant against Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane in connection with a defamation complaint lodged against him in 2023 by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut. The court had last month issued a bailable warrant against Rane for failing to appear for hearings in the case. During the hearing on June 2, the BJP leader had filed an application seeking permanent exemption from appearance. However, on Thursday, Judicial Magistrate First Class (Mazgaon court) A A Kulkarni denied him permanent exemption and issued a non-bailable warrant. The matter has been adjourned to July 18 for a report on the NBW. Earlier too, the court had issued multiple warrants against Rane, who is BJP MLA from the state's Konkan region, for failing to appear in the hearing of the case. In May 2023, Nitesh Rane, son of former Union minister Narayan Rane, had allegedly called Raut a "snake" who would ditch Uddhav Thackeray and join the (undivided) NCP by June that ...
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has shown the "real Shiv Sena" to everybody, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said, drawing a sharp reaction from the Shiv Sena (UBT). Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday claimed Shah's remark had rubbed salt into the wounds of Marathi people. Shah made the remark on Friday while acknowledging the presence of Shinde at an event organised by the lobby grouping Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industries & Agriculture (MACCIA) here. The Bal Thackeray-founded party split in June 2022 after Shinde rebelled and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government under Uddhav Thackeray. Since then, the two factions have been engaged in an acrimonious battle to lay claim to the founder's legacy and be called the "real Shiv Sena". "Shinde has shown which is the real Shiv Sena to everybody," Shah said. The remarks come a day after both the Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray factions, now called Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT), ...
The Shiv Sena (UBT) is ready to take a step forward or even backward and there is no political ego in it, party MP Sanjay Raut said on Tuesday amid the chatter of rapprochement between his outfit and the MNS. The Sena (UBT), led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, will do whatever possible for the benefit of Maharashtra, "Marathi manoos" (Marathi-speaking people) and to re-ensure their claim on Mumbai, Raut told reporters. "We are ready to take a step ahead or back. There is no political ego in it," the Rajya Sabha member said. Estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with their recent statements indicating they could ignore "trivial issues" and join hands nearly two decades after a bitter parting of ways. While Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) head Raj Thackeray has said uniting in the interest of "Marathi manoos" is not difficult, Uddhav has insisted he is ready to put aside trivial fights, provided those
In a sharp attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, senior BJP minister Girish Mahajan on Tuesday dubbed him a "broker" and a political enemy of Uddhav Thackeray who is chipping away at the party organisation. Mahajan's retort stemmed from Raut's scathing attack on the former, believed to be a close aide of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Raut had said Mahajan would be the first leader to desert the BJP when it loses power. "Uddhav Thackeray does not need any political enemy to destroy his party as Sanjay Raut is enough for this job," Mahajan, who holds the water resources portfolio in the Fadnavis cabinet, told reporters. The senior BJP MLA from north Maharashtra alleged that "brokers" like Raut have driven away leaders and grassroots workers from the Shiv Sena (UBT). "The way Raut pushed Thackeray closer to Sharad Pawar and the Congress (after the 2019 assembly elections when BJP and Sena parted ways); he has inflicted the maximum damage on his own party," Mahajan said. If .
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attending events in Mumbai and campaigning in Bihar even as the Central government is talking about giving a "befitting" reply to Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack. Raut also demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation for a "security lapse". "A big massacre took place in Kashmir. Our Prime Minister said Pakistan will be taught a lesson, but just days later, he was in Mumbai, spending nine hours with Bollywood celebrities. He also campaigned in Bihar and inaugurated a port belonging to Gautam Adani (in Kerala)," Raut told reporters. The prime minister was in Mumbai on Thursday at the inauguration of the first World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES). Raut alleged the prime minister's demeanour does not reflect the seriousness of someone preparing to retaliate against Pakistan. "While he is in a 'khush mijaaz' (cheerful) mood, we are worried about how to respon
Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora on Friday targeted the Shiv Sena (UBT) over the absence of its legislators at the all-party meeting the Centre convened on the Pahalgam terror attack, saying that it was shameful but expected. Taking to X, Deora said, "Shameful but expected, not a single UBT MP turned up for the all-party meeting on the #Pahalgam terror attack. When the nation needs one voice on security, those who bark into mics daily suddenly fall silent." Party leader Arvind Sawant wrote to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju ahead of the all-party meeting called by the government on the attack, as he informed him about his and Sanjay Raut's inability to attend it. Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant had written to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju ahead of the all-party meeting called by the government on the attack on Thursday and informed him about his and Sanjay Raut's inability to attend it. Raut is a Rajya Sabha MP of the party. He said both of them were on an official t