Mumbai, Jan 23 (IANS) Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday ruled out seeking support from the Eknath Shinde-led faction for the Mumbai mayor’s post, saying his party is not in a “desperate state” where it would compromise principles for power.
Amid speculation over who will govern Mumbai following the civic polls, Raut told reporters that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would not let go of the prestigious mayor’s post. “The party will take the final decision, but let it be clear — the BJP will not leave the mayoral post for anyone,” Raut said.
He further accused the BJP of using Balasaheb Thackeray’s name and photographs for political gain. “If they truly respected him, they would not have split the Shiv Sena he built,” he said.
Raut’s statement came after Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Bhaskar Jadhav suggested that if the Shinde faction truly wanted a “Shiv Sena” mayor during Balasaheb Thackeray’s birth centenary year, it should support Uddhav Thackeray’s candidate.
Asked if Shiv Sena (UBT) would accept support from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s group to secure the post, Raut said: “We will not take Shinde’s support. Shiv Sena has not seen such bad days. Our lives do not depend on being in power; we aren’t restless or desperate for power like others.”
He added that the party would not compromise its dignity to secure the mayoral seat.
Raut launched a strong attack on the BJP’s role in Maharashtra politics, claiming the party owed its standing in the state to Balasaheb Thackeray.
“The BJP had no standing in Maharashtra; Balasaheb created a place for them. In return, they broke his party and handed the ‘Bow and Arrow’ symbol to someone who has no connection to the core values of Shiv Sena. You handed Balasaheb’s weapon to ‘unmanly’ hands (namarda),” he alleged.
He also criticised the BJP’s “insatiable hunger for power”, alleging that the use of money and muscle in recent elections was a departure from the ideology of the late Shiv Sena founder. He claimed the BJP was exploiting Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy for “political selfishness”.
Meanwhile, paying his own tribute, Raut compared Balasaheb Thackeray’s legacy to that of Lokmanya Tilak, calling him a “mass leader” who taught the Marathi manoos and Hindus the power of unity. “Balasaheb gave a great thought to Maharashtra and the country — the thought of a strong ‘Vajramuth’ (iron fist) of unity. He transformed common men into brave warriors and made them aware of their rights and duties. Maharashtra can never forget him,” he added.
Raut also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and questioned the sincerity of the latter’s tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray on his birth centenary. He asked whether PM Modi now draws “energy and guidance” from Eknath Shinde after allegedly breaking the party founded by Balasaheb.
The controversy erupted after PM Modi paid homage to Balasaheb Thackeray on social media. In his tribute, the Prime Minister shared a photograph with the late leader, stating that Balasaheb’s vision remained a major inspiration for Maharashtra’s progress and that he would always strive to fulfil that vision.
Responding to the Prime Minister’s post, Raut said: “The Prime Minister tweeted a photo with Balasaheb, calling him a mentor and speaking about how he received energy and inspiration from him. However, this is the same Prime Minister who broke Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena and installed a person named Eknath Shinde as the leader. Now, people are asking a question: Does Modi seek energy, inspiration, and guidance from Eknath Shinde instead?”
–IANS
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