MUMBAI: A day after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the party would contest the BMC polls on its own and not part of the MVA alliance, he on Sunday clarified that he never said that the alliance or the India bloc, which was formed by Opposition parties to take on the BJP, had been dissolved.
“Most parties have the same feeling, that local body polls should be contested separately in order to strengthen and expand the party. We never said the India bloc or the MVA has been dissolved. Why should anyone get upset?” asked Raut.
The Shiv Sena (UBT)’s decision to go solo for the BMC polls had set off speculation on whether the MVA alliance is unravelling.
When asked about the Congress party’s statement that it would seek a clarification from party chief Uddhav Thackeray on whether going solo was the party’s official stand, Raut said, “Am I a leader of the Congress or the NCP or the Shiv Sena? Congress should listen to my statement carefully. They should learn how to listen.”
Raut clarified that their party workers were keen that the SS (UBT) contest separately. “The local polls are meant for party workers. Our party workers want us to contest separately. If 3-4 parties contest together, it is unfair to party workers. They feel that if we contest solo, the party will expand,” he said.
“Everyone has the right to expand their party. Even when we were in alliance with the BJP, we contested local body polls separately,” he said.
Raut said there was still confusion regarding the party symbol and contesting alone in local polls would help. “The local body polls will also be an opportunity for us to spread information on the party symbol,” he said. After the split of the Shiv Sena, the original symbol of bow and arrow was awarded to Eknath Shinde’s party while Uddhav Thackeray’s SS (UBT) got the flaming torch as a symbol.
When asked about the probe into the killing of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, “Ruling party MLAs like Suresh Dhas from the BJP and Sandeep Kshirsagar from the NCP are protesting. But it looks like the government is shielding the main mafia behind the killing. It is the pretence of a probe,” said Raut.
Meanwhile, leader of opposition in the state legislative council Ambadas Danve and SS UBT neta on Sunday said the MVA is united but the equations of local bodies elections are different.
