Na ghar ka na ghat ka: Shiv Sena MP says Sanjay Raut threw Uddhav Thackeray in ‘deep hole’

Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske launched a scathing attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday. “See what they did to Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, ‘Unko na ghar ka na ghaat ka bana diya hein (An English equivalent of Neither fish nor fowl)‘,” Mhaske levelled allegations against Sanjay Raut. Mhaske added, “Sanjay Raut threw Uddhav Thackeray into a deep hole.”

Taking a dig at Maharashtra’s former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Mhaske said, “Balasaheb Thackeray founded the party for Hindutva, but that party diverted from Hindutva and went and sat at the doors of Congress…Shiv Sena’s basic ideology was abandoned.”

“Sanjay Raut keeps abusing PM Modi and Amit Shah, and Uddhav Thackeray has sought an appointment to meet Devendra Fadnavis,” he added.

Notably, Sanjay Raut has also been facing flak from INDIA bloc ally Congress for confirming that Shiv Sena (UBT) plans to contest local body elections in the state on its own instead of in alliance with its Maha Vikas Aghadi partners.

On Tuesday, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said his party does not feel the need to reply to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut’s statements as “Raut is not an issue for us.”

Sanjay Raut on INDIA Bloc, and BJP

Sanjay Raut has been oscillating his statements on possible alliances with the INDIA bloc or the NDA.

Three days ago, Sanjay Raut asserted that the possibility of Shiv Sena (UBT)’s alliance with the BJP in future could not be ruled out ‘completely’. “Yes, anything is possible in politics. There are no permanent enemies and permanent friends in politics,” Raut told Indian Express.

His statement was preceded by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis saying Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray was not his enemy.

Raut told Indian Express that the BJP and the Shiv Sena were allies for 25 years. “Even before Fadnavis came into politics, the Sena and the BJP were friends. The Sena was the BJP’s… most trustworthy ally. But the BJP kicked us… but still I think anything is possible in politics,” he added.

However, on Tuesday, Sanjay Raut expressed confidence in the survival of the INDIA bloc, despite growing tensions between Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the Delhi assembly elections.

“The INDIA alliance will survive. If we do not keep the INDIA alliance alive, the opposition will die. They (BJP) will eliminate the opposition,” Raut said.