Sanjay Raut targeted Congress, said – Shiv Sena, UBT and MNS have already come together.

Mumbai, Nov 22 (IANS) Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday criticized the Congress party for opposing the entry of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) into the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) without the approval of the party high command, saying it could be a personal decision of the Mumbai Congress chief as Shiv Sena UBT and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have already come together.

Raut, who is undergoing medical examination, said in a post on Twitter, “Without Delhi’s order, I will not take MNS to the forefront: Mumbai Congress. This could be a personal decision of the Congress. Shiv Sena and MNS have already come together; this is the will of the people. There is no need for anyone’s order or permission for this. Sharad Pawar and the Left are also together. Save Mumbai!”

Raut’s outburst comes days after Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad announced that the party will go alone in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, while strongly opposing any alliance or involvement of MNS in the MVA.

Gaikwad, who met NCP SP Sharad Pawar, later said the party was ready to form an alliance with like-minded parties. “If the two brothers (Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray) come together, we wish them well. We all in the Congress party know that whenever we have formed an alliance, we have implemented a common minimum programme. We have worked through a common minimum programme,” Gaikwad said.

He said that there has been no discussion with the Thackeray brothers regarding the alliance. “We cannot associate with those who take the law into their own hands,” he clarified.

Earlier, Shiv Sena UBT claimed that the Congress party’s announcement to contest alone in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections would be suicidal, adding that opposition unity is necessary to stop the BJP’s plan to ‘hijack’ the election system through hooliganism, mob rule, excessive use of money and police force to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra.

In an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana, the Thackeray camp claimed that Maharashtra will not forgive those who go against Marathi public sentiment.

“Bihar has once again shown at what level the BJP and its ‘backbenchers’ play election games. At a time like this, the only way is to come together and fight without playing the game of who has what ideology. We can discuss each other’s culture and ideology later. Rahul Gandhi has already spoken of teaching a lesson to the current Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. This lesson can be taught only if the opposition remains united.”

–IAN

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