Engineering Splits In Sena, NCP Has Destroyed BJP’s Integrity: Sanjay Raut

Mumbai:

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said today that the integrity of the BJP stands destroyed due to the manner in which the saffron party engineered splits in the Shiv Sena and the NCP.

He said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) stands united “in the trying times” against the backdrop of the crisis in NCP and will contest all elections together.

Mr Raut said Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with the party’s office-bearers and leaders where issues like Uniform Civil Code and Lok Sabha polls were discussed.

He said Thackeray will attend the meeting of opposition parties slated to be held in Bengaluru later this month.

Mr Raut alleged the “modus operandi” in both instances (splitting of Shiv Sena and NCP) was similar.

The NCP is in a state of churn after senior leader Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government as deputy chief minister along with eight MLAs who took oath as ministers.

“PM Modi speaks of NCP’s corruption and 24 hours later BJP engineers a split in the NCP and inducts the leaders it had accused of graft,” Mr Raut told reporters.

He said the country and Maharashtra are facing political upheavals. “We discussed UCC and Lok Sabha elections and the road ahead. The MVA stands united,” he said when asked about the meeting.

“Let the (UCC) draft be ready. No one is opposing it. I was present at the presentation. The law will apply to the entire country and not to any particular religion. But there is a need for a debate on this issue. Even four years after Article 370 was abrogated, no election has been held so far in Kashmir,” he added.

Mr Raut also launched a sharp attack on the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde for rebelling against Thackeray last year.

“Eknath Shinde and MLAs led by him rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray saying they were against the alliance with the NCP (when MVA was in power). But on Sunday (July 2), they were clapping for Ajit Pawar and other leaders of the NCP when they joined the state government at Raj Bhavan,” Mr Raut said.

Asked whether the splitting of Shiv Sena and NCP was a masterstroke by the BJP, Mr Raut retorted saying the masterstroke is when you have ED and the CBI in your hands.

Asked if Mr Shinde’s bargaining power has been reduced after Ajit Pawar joined the government, Mr Raut said, “Despite enjoying a clear majority, (the BJP has) inducted Ajit Pawar. This means he (Mr Shinde) is not required anymore”. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)