Raut Says Fadnavis Can't Decipher Pawar's Mind, Critiques Shah; BJP Responds

Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut criticised Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Amit Shah on Sunday. Raut claimed that Fadnavis would never understand Sharad Pawar's thoughts, even after 100 lifetimes. He also targeted Shah over his visit to Mumbai’s Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh idol.

Raut's comments came after Fadnavis stated that Sharad Pawar had shortlisted three to four names for the Chief Minister's post before the state elections, excluding Uddhav Thackeray. In response, BJP's Ashish Shelar demanded an apology from Uddhav Thackeray, alleging that he had halted public Ganesh festival celebrations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Political Allegations and Counterclaims

Raut accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah of orchestrating splits within Maharashtra's political parties and families. He suggested that CM Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were pressured or lured into defecting from their parties. "Who broke political parties and families in Maharashtra? Modi and Shah engineered splits in political parties and even in families," said Raut.

Shelar responded by defending Shah’s visits to Mumbai, stating that Shah has been visiting Lalbaugcha Raja even before becoming a Union minister. He criticised Raut for suggesting that Lalbaugcha Raja might be relocated to Gujarat, calling the comment ridiculous. "Raut seems to have forgotten that during the tenure of Uddhav Thackeray as the chief minister, the over 125-year-old tradition of ‘Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav’ was broken," Shelar said.

Election Strategies and Alliances

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners—Congress, Sena UBT, and NCP SP—announced they would contest the upcoming Maharashtra polls as a united front. The elections are likely to be held in October or November. Raut challenged the ruling dispensation to call for elections if they had any courage left.

Sharad Pawar played a crucial role in forming the MVA to keep BJP out of power after the 2019 state polls. Raut questioned Fadnavis' understanding of Pawar's strategies, saying, "In 2019, did Fadnavis know what Sharad Pawar was thinking and planning? Even if he is born 100 times, Fadnavis will fail to fathom what goes on in Sharad Pawar's head."

Ganesh Festival Controversy

Shelar accused Thackeray of breaking the tradition of public Ganesh festival celebrations during his tenure as Chief Minister. "You were the one to separate Ganesha devotees from their beloved Bappa. Hence, Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut must apologise to Lalbaugcha Raja and all Ganesh devotees," Shelar said.

Raut criticised Shah for neglecting Manipur amid ongoing violence there while visiting Mumbai. "Despite the fresh attacks in Manipur and the continued suffering of women, the union home minister is here in Mumbai," Raut said. He urged Shah to visit Manipur instead of Mumbai.

Internal Party Dynamics

Ajit Pawar recently commented on societal disapproval of those who break family ties during a rally in Gadchiroli. This statement came amid efforts to discourage party leader Dharmarao Baba Atram’s daughter Bhagyashri from joining Sharad Pawar-led NCP SP.

Shelar also addressed Raut’s remarks about Fadnavis, stating that BJP members are not interested in knowing others' thoughts. "It is you who is interested in knowing what is going on in one’s head … It is not our habit," Shelar said. He praised Fadnavis for his contributions as an activist and leader.

The political landscape in Maharashtra remains tense with these ongoing exchanges between Shiv Sena UBT and BJP leaders. The upcoming elections will likely see further developments as alliances solidify and campaign strategies unfold.