Maharashtra: Sunil Raut refutes rumours of quitting seat over cabinet exclusion

As the Maharashtra cabinet expanded on December 30, Monday,  Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Raut on Monday ridiculed all speculation of being 'unhappy' over him being denied a ministerial position in the Sena-led Maharashtra government and that he was planning to quit as a legislator. It was earlier reported that Sunil Raut was triggered after his elder brother and Sena leader Sanjay Raut was not seen at the Cabinet expansion.

Nullifying the conjecture, Raut asserted that the rumours were fake. Sunil Raut further stated that there is no better news than the government led by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as Chief Minister taking power in the state. Even the party officials dismissed all conjectures in this regard and said Raut may have been busy somewhere owing to which he may not have attended the cabinet expansion ceremony.

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Sanjay Raut skips Aaditya and Ajit Pawar's Oathtaking

There were media rumours, since Monday that the Raut brothers were very upset and while Sanjay Raut allegedly skipped the oath-taking ceremony, Sunil Raut was preparing to quit from his legislature seat. Minutes after reports that Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut was unhappy over Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's cabinet expansion, he has issued a statement on Monday.

Refuting the claims, Raut said that he and his family has always stood for the party. It was reported earlier that Raut was unhappy because his brother Sunil Raut, MLA from Vikhroli has not been included in the cabinet.

Sanjay Raut has said: "Those are rubbish reports. I and my family has always stood for the party."

READ: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar confident about govt's success, says 'No one is upset'

Maharashtra cabinet expansion

The Winter session of the Maharashtra Assembly was held from December 16 to December 21 in Nagpur. The Opposition has slammed the delay, saying not many issues were debated and resolved in the Nagpur Assembly. Maharashtra can have a maximum of 43 ministers. The size of the council of ministers cannot exceed 15 per cent of the total number of MLAs, which is 288 in the state.

Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra on November 28 along with six ministers — two each from alliance partners the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress. 

READ: Brother not made Maharashtra minister, Sanjay Raut skips Aaditya & Ajit Pawar's oathtaking

READ: Allegedly miffed, Sanjay Raut breaks silence on his brother not becoming Maharashtra min