Raut hits back at Fadnavis for his barb against CM Thackeray

Mumbai: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday took a swipe at former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of BJP for accusing his successor Uddhav Thackeray of “threatening” his opponents.

Earlier in the day, Fadnavis told reporters that he had not seen any chief minister in Maharashtra, other than Uddhav Thackeray, who threatened the opposition “so much”, and said his (the CM’s) recent interview to ”Saamana” (Shiv Sena mouthpiece) did not befit the constitutional post he held.

“When he was chief minister, Fadnavis had threatened that he had ”kundlis” (details) of everybody (political opponents). What kind of language was that?” Raut told reporters while defending Thackeray, who heads Shiv Sena.

He also lashed out at Fadnavis for demanding President’s rule in the state.

“What kind of a precedent does he want to set (by making such demand)?” Raut asked.

Queried about the Bombay HC’s ruling on Friday in actress Kangana Ranaut case, Raut said, “How can demolition of an illegal construction be called illegal?”

In its ruling, the HC declared the Mumbai civic body’s action of demolishing part of Ranaut’s bungalow here as illegal and said it smacks of malafide intentions.

When asked about CM Thackeray not accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s visit to the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) later in the day, Raut said, “It is surprising that the BJP doesn’t know the directives of the PMO that there was no need for official protocol in this visit”.

Raut reiterated the Sena will not cower down if national investigation agencies are used against its leaders.

“The state government is watching the situation. Those who get sadistic pleasure from such things (by playing vindictive politics)…they should know such things don’t go on for long,” he added.

Raut was apparently referring to the searches conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the premises of Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik in a money laundering case.