Amit Shah is ignoring Manipur: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut during meet with Sharad Pawar

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut accused BJP leader Amit Shah of ignoring Manipur, referring to the ethnic violence in the north-eastern state. 

Raut made the remark during a meet with Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai. “Shah spoke about betrayal by Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray. But of the 22 BJP leaders on the stage (at the Shirdi convention), 18 had betrayed their own parties to join the BJP. Nearly 80 per cent of the BJP’s cabinet ministers and 40 per cent of its MLAs have a history of betrayal,” Raut alleged.

The meeting was held regarding doubts over the opposition MVA coalition's future after the former announced going solo in the local body elections in Maharashtra.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Raut slammed Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah for his critical remarks on Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray made during his visit to Maharashtra on Sunday.

The BJP’s very foundation in Maharashtra is built on betrayal, and yet Shah lectures others on loyalty, the Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP said.

“Instead of speaking about betrayal, Shah should focus on what is happening in places like Beed and Parbhani in Maharashtra. As Union Home Minister, it is his duty to address these issues, but he has chosen to ignore them,” said Raut.

Raut also dismissed Shah’s claims that the BJP’s electoral success had ended the politics of betrayal in Maharashtra.

“The BJP could not accept its victory humbly. We will reveal, at the right time, how Maharashtra favoured Shah’s rise,” Raut claimed.

Shah had slammed Pawar and Thackeray during his speech on Sunday at a state BJP convention in the temple town of Shirdi.

Shah may not have been in politics when Pawar had connections with Jan Sangh, Raut said.

“Shah is a BJP leader, not a national leader. He should do research about the relations between BJP and (Shiv Sena founder) Balasaheb Thackeray in the past. Instead of commenting on Pawar saheb, Shah should visit Solapur’s Markadwadi to understand irregularities his party committed there,” said the Sena (UBT) leader. (With PTI inputs)