Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut alleged on Saturday that former Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde had previously intended to join the Congress.
While Raut did not specify when Shinde, who split the undivided Shiv Sena in June 2022, considered the move, he referenced the late Congress leader Ahmed Patel.
"I know what all was going on. Ahmed Patel is not around now and hence I don't want to say anything more because he is not there to substantiate this,'' Raut was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Patel passed away on November 25, 2020.
On being questioned further about his statement, Raut reportedly said, “Ask (senior Congress leader and ex-chief minister) Prithviraj Chavan about it”.
During Holi celebrations, former Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole created a buzz by suggesting that deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar (of NCP) could join the opposition alliance in exchange for the "rotational chief minister" position.
When asked to react, Raut said nothing is impossible in politics.
"I am speechless. The only thing I can say is that nothing is impossible in politics," he added.
Raut said no one had imagined that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) would be formed in 2019 or that an "unconstitutional" government would take charge in 2022 (under Shinde) or Devendra Fadnavis get an absolute majority in 2024.
He alleged that Shinde had nothing to do with the saffron flag of Balasaheb Thackeray.
''Shinde and Ajit Pawar (who split Nationalist Congress Party in 2023) are carrying the flags of the BJP," the Shiv Sena (MP) claimed.
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