Sanjay Raut says rebels have nothing to do with Hindutva; claims 'are jailed in Guwahati'

With meagre hopes of survival for the Maha Vikas Aghadi government amid internal rebellion, Shiv Sena's spokesperson Sanjay Raut continued with his series of fiery speeches on Tuesday. Addressing the media, the Member of Parliament said that the rebel MLAs were not housed 'but jailed' in the Radisson Blu Hotel of Guwahati for the past five days. The Parliamentarian, claiming to be the saffron flag bearer, said that the MLAs do not have anything to do with Hindutva. He reasoned that most of them had jumped ships from Congress and Nationalist Congress Party for 'power'.

Recollecting the time when Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP came to power, he said, "Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar said that if a patient person like Uddhav Thackeray leads, the government would run better. And that is how Uddhav Ji became the Chief Minister." 

'BJP breached their word' 

Raut also put into perspective how BJP breached the word they gave to Shiv Sena at the time of the pre-poll alliance. "Amit Shah promised us in Balasaheb Thackeray's room (that the CM can be from Shiv Sena). After that, Uddhav Ji narrowed down on the name of Eknath Shinde. But BJP breached their word, and hence, Shinde is not the CM today," he said. 

Claiming that the MLAs betrayed Balasaheb Thackeray, the saffron flag of Shiv Sena for BJP, the MP said, "Thackeray and Shiv Sena are two sides of the same coin...There cannot be Shiv Sena without Thackerays..." Giving the example of the members who left the party, the Rajya Sabha member added, "Narayan Rane, Chhagan Bhujbal, Ganesh Naik left Shiv Sena. Are not they slave now?" 

'Shiv Sena will be taken ahead without these MLAs'

Making it clear that the doors of Shiv Sena are closed for the rebel MLAs, Raut said, "The party will be taken ahead with Shiv Sainiks. That is the power of Shiv Sena, we have to win every election in Raigad, the capital of Swarajya given by Shivaji Maharaj himself."

Facing backlash for the statements made since the turmoils began, the MP said, "They say that Sanjay Raut speaks a lot, he should be put in jail. Put me in jail, but I will continue to speak."