The allegation made by the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) that top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) brass, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis actively worked to defeat veteran BJP leader Nitin Gadkari in the Nagpur Lok Sabha contest has drawn jeers not only from the ruling BJP, but also irked the Congress party, the Sena (UBT)‘s ally in the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut, in the party mouthpiece Saamana, claimed that Mr. Fadnavis, who is Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, threw “large sums of money” to ensure Mr. Gadkari’s ‘defeat’.
“To ensure Gadkari’s defeat in Nagpur, Modi, Shah and Fadnavis came together and made attempts. When it became evident Mr. Gadkari was not going to get defeated, Mr. Fadnavis had no option but to campaign for him,” Mr. Raut alleged.
This is not the first time that Mr. Thackeray and Sena (UBT) leaders have batted for Mr. Gadkari by playing on the trope of a perceived rivalry between the Union Minister and Mr. Modi.
Just before the start of the election in March, Mr. Thackeray, at a pre-poll campaign rally, had made an open offer to Mr. Gadkari to leave the BJP and contest as a candidate of the MVA. Mr. Thackeray had made much of the fact that Mr. Gadkari’s name was not present in the BJP’s first list of 195 candidates.
Mr. Raut’s allegations were rubbished by the Maharashtra BJP leadership as “ludicrous” with BJP Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar remarking that while the Sena (UBT) leader had a habit of making sensational statements, this time, his allegations were “utter nonsense”.
While State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule censured Mr. Raut’s “wild and baseless allegations”, senior leader Girish Mahajan quipped that after the results on June 4, Mr. Raut would have “to be admitted to a clinic to have his head examined”.
Mr. Raut’s allegation that Mr. Fadnavis had reportedly distributed funds to ensure Mr. Gadkari’s defeat in Nagpur has irked the Congress’ Vikas Thakre, who contested against Mr. Gadkari in the election as the MVA’s candidate.
Implicit in Mr. Raut’s allegation was that Mr. Thakre may have benefitted from the funds being distributed by Mr. Fadnavis.
“Sanjay Raut should speak with proofs instead of making such ridiculous statements…this is my ninth election and I do not need anyone’s ‘funds’ to defeat Mr. Gadkari. What is Sanjay Raut and the Sena (UBT) trying to say exactly with such remarks?” Mr. Thakre, a two-term MLA from the Nagpur West Assembly segment, who was fielded against Mr. Gadkari this time, said.
“Even before the election, the Sena (UBT) and Sanjay Raut spoke in favour of Mr. Gadkari. They are doing the same after the election as well. Why doesn’t he obey coalition dharma? Is Raut Mr. Gadkari’s agent?” Mr. Thakre said, adding he would complain against the Sena (UBT) leader to Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala.
Nagpur had gone to polls in the first phase of the General Election on April 19.
