Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday indicated that his party was open to discuss if someone outside the Congress should lead the Opposition's INDIA bloc. All constituents of the alliance are willing to have a discussion on the issue, he told reporters. Raut was reacting to Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad's comment that West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee should be allowed to lead the INDIA bloc. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is at present the chairman of the Opposition grouping, formed before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Talking to reporters in Delhi, Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, said his party's ties with the Congress leadership including Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were excellent. Congress is a national party and has the highest number of MPs among the INDIA allies, he noted. "Still, if the INDIA bloc is to be strengthened again, everyone wishes to discuss (issues related to) leadership, who can give time to the ...

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that she has shown a successful model in West Bengal where she has kept BJP away from power

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday claimed that Eknath Shinde had to take oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister because the BJP's top brass planned to go ahead with the new government's swearing-in if he continued being "stubborn". Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut said the state government did not have a full cabinet so far despite the Mahayuti getting a thumping majority indicates that not everything is well within the alliance. He said it took as many as 15 days for the BJP to form the government in Maharashtra despite having a massive mandate. "Eknath Shinde had to take oath as deputy chief minister. BJP had planned to go ahead with the swearing-in ceremony without Eknath Shinde. Had he maintained the stubborn attitude to pressure the BJP, its brass had informed (the state leadership) to go ahead without him," Raut claimed. BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister of the state for the third time in a grand ceremony held at Azad Maidan in .

Raut claimed that Shinde was 'used' by the Bharatiya Janata Party and now has been tossed aside

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday alleged that the "unnatural" verdict in Maharashtra, which saw Mahayuti winning big in assembly polls, has delayed the selection of chief minister for the last eight days. Raut indicated that differences in Mahayuti forced caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde to go to his village in Satara district amidst the government formation efforts. Notably, a key Mahayuti meeting scheduled on Friday was put off as Shinde headed to his native village, delaying government formation a week after poll results. "Eight days have passed since results were declared but Maharashtra has not been able to get a CM. The caretaker CM (Eknath Shinde) has gone to his village. Why is this happening?...The results are unnatural and against the wishes of people. There are agitations all over the state," Raut said. He alleged that a sudden rise in the number of votes cast in the last hours of polling was the "architect" of the Mahayuti's victory in Maharashtra an

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs). Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections. The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested. "We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said. Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday slammed former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, alleging that he had removed the fear of the law from politicians who defected from parties in Maharashtra. Raut claimed that by not deciding on the disqualification petitions, Chandrachud kept doors and windows open for defections. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader's statement comes after his party faced a severe drubbing in the state assembly elections, as it managed to clinch only 20 out of 95 seats it contested as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The performance of the party's alliance partners was no better, with the Congress winning only 16 out of 101 seats and NCP (SP) getting only 10 out of 86 seats it contested. Talking to reporters, Raut alleged, "He (Chandrachud) has removed the fear of the law from defectors. His name will be written in black letters in history." Following the split in the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022, the party's faction headed by Uddhav Thackeray filed ...

Maharashtra Assembly elections results: The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance leads in polls, with MVA trailing. Opposition leaders, including Sanjay Raut, question the legitimacy of early trends and results

The Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents have decided to house all its newly-elected MLAs together in Mumbai after the Maharashtra election results, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said on Friday, a move aimed at preventing poaching ahead of government formation. Talking to reporters here, Raut said MVA leaders, including himself, his party colleague Anil Desai, NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil and Congress leaders Satej Patil and Balasaheb Thorat met on Thursday and carried out an assessment of every seat. "We have decided to bring all newly-elected MLAs to Mumbai. New MLAs have no provision to stay in Mumbai. So we have decided to make their residential arrangements together," he said. The counting of votes for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls will take place on Saturday. Raut expressed confidence that the MVA would win 160 seats in the elections. Some independents, who have strong chances of victory, have expressed their desire to support the opposition bloc, the ..

Priyanka said that the people of Maharashtra would free the Mahayuti for the next 25 years and claimed that the MVA would get the majority in the recently held assembly elections

Most exit polls for the Maharashtra election indicate that the ruling Mahayuti alliance is likely to retain power in the state

Maharashtra conducted elections across its 288 Assembly constituencies on Wednesday. At least two major exit polls have predicted that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance will secure a majority

A day after the Maharashtra assembly polls, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday claimed the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will win 160 to 165 seats out of the total 288 and provide a stable government in the state. The Rajya Sabha member also said the MVA leaders will be meeting on Thursday, ahead of the counting of votes which will take place on Saturday. After the polling concluded on Wednesday, most exit polls predicted victory for the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra while some gave an edge to the MVA coalition in the western state. "We and our allies, including smaller parties like the PWP, Samajwadi Party, the Left parties are crossing the majority mark. We are winning 160-165 seats. There will be a stable government in the state. I can say it very confidently," Raut told reporters. The MVA comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP). The ruling Mahayuti consists of the BJP, CM Eknath Shinde's S

Taking a jibe at the ECI, Raut asked why only the vehicles and planes of opposition leaders are being checked

Raut's reaction comes after Union HM Shah challenged Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray to ask Rahul Gandhi

PM Modi said the people of Maharashtra have already seen MVA's misgovernance for two and a half years

Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan on Saturday said the security cover of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was upgraded after intelligence inputs. In view of the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls, the state police has buttressed the security cover of Fadnavis, who is also the Home Minister, with ex-Force One personnel as a precautionary measure. Fadnavis enjoys 'Z plus' security cover at present, which is taken care of by the Maharashtra police's Special Protection Unit, he added. "Fadnavis' security had been upgraded after inputs from Intelligence," Mahajan, a senior state BJP leader, told reporters in Pune. However, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut took a dig at Fadnavis on the issue. "Who poses a danger to Fadnavis? He is the home minister of the state. Is he facing danger from the CM? How can the home minister enhance his security and deploy a commando force which is trained to fight terrorists? Is Israel, Ukraine going to attack Fadnavis," Raut asked. Mahajan ...

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, requesting the removal of Rashmi Shukla

Raut highlighted the stark contrast between Thackeray's past opposition to BJP leaders and his current alignment with them, raising questions about his motives as elections approach

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday accused the ruling Mahayuti of using police machinery against the opposition's candidates in the Maharashtra assembly polls, and sought removal of state DGP Rashmi Shukla. Talking to reporters, Raut alleged that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is resorting to attacks on the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidates, issuing threats to them and using police pressure to intimidate them as it fears that it would lose the state polls. On Monday, Sena (UBT) leader Advay Hire was attacked in Malegaon Outer constituency in Nashik, allegedly by the "goons" of Sena minister and candidate Dada Bhuse, he said. "Police have not taken any action against them so far. This is not restricted to Malegaon Outer alone. They (ruling Mahayuti) have used police machinery to carry out attacks," he said. Raut said this was precisely why the opposition demanded removal of IPS officer Rashmi Shukla as the state Director General of Police (DGP). "My appeal .