Published 10:54 IST, March 2nd 2020
All not well between Uddhav & Sanjay Raut? Rift emerges as CM's wife named Saamana editor
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut is allegedly miffed with Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray as Rashmi Thackeray was named as the editor of Saamana instead of him.
It seems like all is not well between Sanjay Raut and Uddhav Thackeray as the Shiv Sena MP who forged the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance is now miffed with the party again. Sanjay Raut came out as a prominent face of the party during power tussle in Maharashtra in the last year. According to sources from the Shiv Sena camp, Sanjay Raut is again miffed with Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray’s decision to make his wife Rashmi Thackeray as the editor of Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana instead of him. Raut had allegedly expecting to be the editor right after Uddhav Thackeray stepped down from the position before assuming charge as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
BJP takes a jibe at Raut
Right after Rashmi Thackeray was named as the editor of Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana, party leader Sanjay Raut started trending on Twitter with his supporters asked why he was not given the position. Taking a jibe at Saamana's executive editor Sanjay Raut, BJP spokesperson Tajinder Singh Bagga, on Sunday, lauded Raut's 'Shayari'. Commenting on the change in the editor of the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana - he added that 'one day, the owner (Uddhav Thackeray) pushed him (Raut) aside'.
Raut earlier skipped the oath-taking ceremony of state cabinet ministers last December, fueling speculation of internal bickering. It was reported that Raut is miffed with the top leadership of the party as his brother and MLA Sunil Raut did not get a cabinet berth. Saamna was launched on Bal Thackeray's birthday on January 23 and he was the editor till 2012. After his death, Uddhav became the chief editor and named Bal Thackeray as the founder editor. After Uddhav became the CM, Sanjay Raut became the executive editor.
Sanjay Raut's editorials
However, since Balasaheb's time, Sanjay Raut has was penning many of the editorials. He will remain the executive editor. The editorials, in the recent past, played a significant role in Shiv Sena walking out of the NDA and forging an unlikely alliance with the Congress and the NCP. Soon after the results of the Maharashtra Assembly Election 2019, the editorials started dropping ample hints that the Shiv Sena would not dither to walk out of its alliance with the BJP if it does not get the CM post.
Updated 10:54 IST, March 2nd 2020