MUMBAI, June 19: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday claimed that there was disagreement among the party’s rebel MPs over who would become a Union minister after switching sides, and a “settlement” has been reached to provide “additional Rs 25 crore” to those who will not get the post.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also came down heavily on the six rebel MPs, calling them “shameless, ungrateful and corrupt” persons who betrayed those who helped them win in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
MPs Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar are likely to join the ruling Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. These lawmakers did not attend the Sena (UBT) parliamentary party meeting convened on Thursday, confirming their breach with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.Shiv Sena (UBT) workers also staged protests against the dissident MPs, indicating that their formal exit was just a matter of time.Rajabhau Waje (Nashik), who attended the party meeting in New Delhi, was given a rousing welcome upon his return at the Nashik railway station by Shiv Sena (UBT) workers for “staying loyal to the party”.In a post on X, Aaditya Thackeray, in his first reaction after six MPs rebelled against the party, said Maharashtra will not tolerate this filthy politics.
“Once again, we are witnessing a shocking example of filthy politics. These shameless, ungrateful, and corrupt individuals who won in 2024 because of certain people are now betraying them,” Thackeray said.Nimbalkar, one of the six rebel MPs, told PTI that the upcoming verdict in the murder case of his father had nothing to do with with the current political situation. Raut had earlier claimed that Nimbalkar was being promised a favourable verdict in the 2006 case related to the murder of his father Pawanraje Nimbalkar. Talking to reporters on Friday, Sanjay Raut said, “There are fights in the rebel group over who will become a minister at the Centre. Only one among the six can become a minister, so it has been decided, and a settlement has been made that the rest will be given an additional Rs 25 crore.” (PTI)
