Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut hurls yet another attack on BJP, quotes Thomas Gomes

Amid the clash between opposition and the Central government on the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Act, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday expressed his thoughts on the current BJP-led Central government. Taking to microblogging website Raut posted a quote stating, "You can love your country without having to love your government"

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After the Mahayuti fallout, the Shiv Sena has been a staunch critic of the BJP-led Central government. The Sena had in the Lok Sabha given its support to the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) but later refused to support the Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Earlier on January 4, Raut replied to Amit Shah's challenge 'won't roll back an inch of CAA'. Raut, while addressing an Anti-CAA and NRC event by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, said that the Opposition will make BJP rollback the amended Citizenship Act. Stating that Shah was a new Home Minister, he said that he will learn soon.

"The government has said that 'We won't roll back an inch of CAA'. But we will push you back," he said adding, "Many big leaders have come and gone. No one has a monopoly on patriotism. We are more patriotic".

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Mahayuti fallout

Almost a month after elections, the President's rule was imposed after no party could prove a majority. The BJP-Sena which fell out squabbling over a 50-50 power-sharing and shared CM post bagged 161 seats (BJP- 105, Shiv Sena-56). Meanwhile, the Maha Aghadi won 98 seats (NCP -54, Congress) and chose to ally with Shiv Sena, forming the Maha Vikas Aghadi. This was preceded by 4-day CM stint by Fadnavis, which fell after Ajit Pawar rescinded his support after the Supreme Court ordered an open ballot floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly immediately. However, both Pawar and Fadnavis resigned and Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on November 28 along with six ministers — two each from alliance partners — the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress.

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