Published 18:37 IST, January 13th 2020
WATCH: Sanjay Raut confronted on Cong neta's 'Keep Uddhav happy or he'll resign' warning
Sanjay Raut refused to comment on Yashwantrao Gadakh statement that Maharashtra ministers were upset over issues like portfolio allocation and office allocation
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday refused to comment on a statement made by senior Congress leader Yashwantrao Gadakh in which he said Maharashtra ministers were upset over a host of issues ranging from allocated offices, portfolios to bungalows. When Republic TV probed him over it, Raut, normally quote-happy, chose to not answer and walked away.
Blaming Congress Maharashtra chief Balasaheb Thorat, Gadakh said that if he had objected then to the alliance, Congress could have been in Opposition. Warning Thorat and NCP to behave to keep up the image, he said that Uddhav Thackeray will resign otherwise.
'Behave or Uddhav will resign'
"I asked Balasaheb Thorat whether this government will last. He said we have done this, so let us see how it goes. I said that the state ministers from different parties were upset because they did not get proper bungalow, proper portfolio. If Uddhav Thackeray had not taken the decision, we would have been in Opposition. But you (Thorat) did not say anything (at that time) and now you are a minister," he said.
He added, "You wanted good bungalow, good portfolio, good office. What will people watching TV think? I told Thorat that whatever this is we should improve. If you – as in Congress and NCP do not behave properly, then Uddhav Thackeray will resign at any time. He is not a very decisive person."
BJP claims discontent
Earlier on Sunday, senior BJP leader Narayan Rane stated that 35 of the 56 Shiv Sena MLAs were “dissatisfied” with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Issuing a reminder that BJP was the single-largest party with 105 seats, he exuded confidence that it would form the government in Maharashtra. Moreover, Rane alleged that the current ruling politicians had no knowledge about running the government.
Discontent after Cabinet expansion
There has been discontent among the Sena-NCP-Congress after the expansion of the Maharashtra cabinet with Sena MP Sanjay Raut reportedly unhappy as his brother Sunil Raut missed out on a Cabinet berth. Also, senior party MLA Abdul Sattar was initially miffed over getting just a Minister of State position. Apart from this, there is a feeling in the Sena camp that the NCP has walked away with not only the highest number of portfolios but also the most important ones as the Sena, for example, had to cede the Home and the Finance portfolio. Shiv Sena's 13 ministers (10 - cabinet, 3 - MoS), NCP's 13 ministers (10 - cabinet, 3 - MoS) and Congress' 10 ministers (8 - cabinet, 2 - MoS) took oath on December 31 at 12 PM in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha.
Updated 18:37 IST, January 13th 2020