Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut announced on Saturday that his party will independently contest the upcoming local body elections, distancing itself from alliances like the INDIA bloc and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Speaking to reporters, Raut clarified that these alliances were formed for the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, not for local polls.
Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, emphasized that alliances often hinder the growth of individual parties and their workers. “We will fight elections to municipal corporations in Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, and other local bodies, including zilla parishads and panchayats, on our own strength,” he said, adding that party chief Uddhav Thackeray had signaled this move.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also hit out at Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar for blaming the MVA for its state assembly defeat. “Those who cannot embrace consensus and compromise have no place in an alliance,” Raut asserted.
Taking a dig at the INDIA bloc, Raut revealed that no meetings were held after the Lok Sabha elections. He criticized the Congress, as the largest alliance party, for failing to convene even a single meeting or appoint a convenor for the bloc.
Raut also targeted Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for sidestepping the BJP’s poll promises, including farm loan waivers and financial aid for “Laadki Bahin” beneficiaries. “These promises are in the BJP’s manifesto. As finance minister in their government, he must deliver,” Raut insisted.
When questioned about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s podcast comment that he is human and capable of mistakes, Raut offered a sharp retort. “Modi is god, not human. If he claims to be human after being declared a god, something is wrong. There’s a ‘chemical locha’ (imbalance),” he quipped, in a statement laced with sarcasm.
Raut’s remarks underscore the growing divisions within political alliances and set the stage for a fierce battle in Maharashtra’s local body elections.
