Mumbai:
Unable to reel in the six Lok Sabha MPs who have rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray, as they are unconvinced of his leadership style, Shiv Sena UBT has conjured up a new weapon from its arsenal to save face – nonchalance.
Sanjay Raut, one of the three MPs who resolutely back Uddhav Thackeray and who bitterly critiqued the rebels, has now said the party won’t miss them much.
“People come and leave, but the party moves ahead,” Raut told NDTV, asserting that the party’s future does not depend on elected representatives.
Speaking to NDTV as the Shiv Sena marked its 60th foundation year, Raut said the organisation had survived several crises since its formation in 1966 and would outlast the latest round of defections.
The six MPs from Uddhav Sena who seek to defect are Omraje Nimbalkar (Dharashiv), Sanjay Dina Patil (Mumbai North-East), Sanjay Jadhav (Parbhani), Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim), Nagesh Patil Ashtikar (Hingoli) and Bhausaheb Vakchaure (Shirdi). Their chief gripe with Thackeray is his proximity to the Congress, Shiv Sena UBT’s ally.
Also read: Team Uddhav Rebels Were Upset. A Sanjay Raut Remark Made It Worse
Sources said they met with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday and cited Thackeray Sena leaders’ alleged plans to eventually merge with the Congress as the reason for their defection.
Referring to the departures, Raut said the party had faced betrayals before and would rebuild itself once again. “The existence of Shiv Sena is not dependent on MPs or MLAs. Ours is a cadre-based party,” he said.
He blamed the ruling BJP for the current crisis, saying it was attempting to create a “one-party nation” by systematically eroding regional political forces.
“In the last 12 years, there has been an attempt to end regional parties,” he said, arguing that the survival of democracy depends on a strong opposition.
“Why Does an MP Need Funds?”
Om Rajenimbalkar, once considered a staunch Thackeray loyalist, has spoken about the challenges of representing a constituency from the Opposition benches. He said securing funds for constituency development had become increasingly difficult for Opposition MPs and indicated that this was one of the factors behind the current predicament.
Raut acknowledged the issue but dismissed the argument.
“This situation has emerged over the last 10 years. Earlier, everyone received equal funds. Now BJP MPs get Rs 200-300 crore while Opposition MPs get barely Rs 1 crore,” he claimed.
However, financial constraints cannot justify leaving the party, he added.
“If you have joined Shiv Sena, you have joined knowing that you will be in the Opposition,” he said.
Also read: ‘Sena-Congress Merger Plan’: What Six Rebel MPs Told Lok Sabha Speaker
Drawing parallels with leaders such as George Fernandes, Jayaprakash Narayan, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani, Raut said Opposition politics had never been about access to funds. He further argued that Members of Parliament are primarily responsible for legislation and policymaking, and development work is largely carried out through State governments, local bodies and elected representatives at other levels.
“These MPs Won’t Be Elected Again”
He also dismissed the electoral prospects of the rebel MPs.
“These six people will not be elected again,” he said, arguing that they had won on the strength of the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Mashaal symbol. By aligning with the rival camp, he added, they had betrayed the mandate that sent them to Parliament.
Also read: Lack Of Leadership, Poll Support: Sources On Why Uddhav Sena MPs Want Out
Raut said the Shiv Sena was founded to represent Marathi interests and that its Balasaheb Thackeray used his skills as a cartoonist to mobilise and empower ordinary people.
Despite predictions that the party would remain confined to Mumbai, it expanded across Maharashtra and eventually established a presence beyond the state, he added.
