Maharashtra's politics has heated up once again. Reports that several MPs of Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) are gathering in Delhi and looking to break away into a separate faction have set off alarm bells inside the party. Amid this churn, the sharp-tongued Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut stepped forward and launched a direct, explosive attack on the rebels through a press conference. His charge is blunt: these MPs are walking out not over any ideology, but out of greed for a fat payday.
The Oaths at Matoshree and Broken Trust
Turning emotional, Raut recalled the days when these very MPs were promising to stay united at Matoshree. He said one MP had crossed every limit. According to Raut, that leader swore on Sai Baba four times within just three minutes, took an oath on his ailing wife, called upon Maa Bhavani as a witness, and vowed in the name of the revered Bal Thackeray that he would stand with the Thackeray family until his last breath. Today, Raut alleged, the same man has tossed all those oaths aside and is ready to betray the party.
A Price Tag of Rs 50 Crore and a Conscience for Sale
Raut claimed he had received solid information about the alleged deal-making. He said, “A very trustworthy person told me that the MPs of Maharashtra have been offered Rs 50 crore each. These people are reaching Delhi only after the deal is finalised. They came to power on the name of Uddhav Thackeray and the ‘Mashal’ poll symbol, but now they have sold their conscience.” Expressing his dismay, Raut said he had never imagined that politics could sink this low.
Mahua Moitra's Jibe and Raut's Comeback
TMC MP Mahua Moitra also weighed in on the alleged horse-trading. Taking a sarcastic dig on the social media platform X, she wrote, “Only 15 crore? Why so cheap? In our time it was 4 crore as advance and 1 crore per month for 36 months.” Raut hit back in equally biting style, writing, “Apna sapna money money! Mahua ji, the Minimum Support Price is fixed at Rs 50 crore per MP. The 15 crore is only the advance. Without the Shiv Sena and TMC brand, these people aren't even worth 50,000.” Raut's response is drawing plenty of attention on social media. His clear message was that these MPs have no standing of their own and have always won purely on the strength of the party's name and brand. He added that it is only the Shiv Sena and TMC label that has pushed up their price, because in reality their worth is next to nothing.
Raut's Open Challenge: Resign and Fight Again
Sanjay Raut has openly dared the rebel MPs. He said that if they are genuinely this unhappy with the party or if their ideology has changed, they should first give up their seats in Parliament. In Raut's words, these MPs reached Parliament on the back of the party's hard work, its name and the face of Uddhav Thackeray. He said that if they have the courage, they should resign, go back to the public and contest the election again. To win on the party's strength and then betray it, he said, is sheer cowardice.
Raut also issued a warning that any attempt to repeat the old script would never be tolerated by the people of Maharashtra and the Shiv Sainiks. He stated flatly that the party will not bow before any pressure, and those who choose to betray it will have to face the consequences.
