Shiv Sena (UBT) rebellion: Sanjay Raut alleges rebel MPs were 'bought over'

On the historic occasion of Shiv Senarsquos 60th foundation day Shiv Sena UBT has been rocked by a massive crisis A day after six Lok Sabha MPs triggered a second major split in the party within four years moving to align with Eknath Shindersquos faction Shiv Sena the Shiv Sena UBT MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Friday launched a scathing attack on the dissident lawmakersRajya Sabha MP Raut claimed that a latenight financial settlement had to be engineered to pacify them over a dispute regarding Cabinet berthsThey stood in the market to sell themselvesrdquo he saidRefusing to term the exit a legitimate political split Raut stated that the rebel MPs had simply auctioned their loyaltySlamming the Shinde faction Shiv Sena Raut asserted ldquoI do not consider this a split A person leaves when they are bound to an ideology When someone stands in the market to sell themselves and someone buys them it is called trading not a split Our six people stood in the market two days ago put a price tag on themselves and were bought over They havenrsquot left because of some great revolutionary thought as cited by IANSShiv Sena UBT MP Sanjat Raut heavily targeted the rebel MPs ndash Sanjay Dina Patil Sanjay Deshmukh Nagesh Patil Ashtikar Sanjay Jadhav Bhausaheb Wakchaure and Omprakash Rajenimbalkar ndash who skipped a crucial parliamentary meeting in Delhi despite a strict threeline party whipSanjay Raut explains why rebel MPs have not yet returned to MumbaiExplaining why the six MPs who allegedly changed parties have not yet returned to Mumbai Raut said that internal fighting broke out over who would get a ministerial berth in the Union governmentAccording to Raut a compromise was reached in the dead of night to resolve the chaos To pacify the remaining five disgruntled MPs an additional payout of Rs 25 crore each has been promised over the next year on the condition that they do not create a public scene he claimed Raut further alleged They are currently hiding in holes under heavy police protection as per IANSSlamming the rebel MPs he also said If you havent committed a crime or a sin why do you need an entire police fleet Is Maharashtras Home Department only meant to protect traitors while crimes against women riseSanjay Raut refers to the BJP leader as ldquoJamner chi MavshiThe political heat extended to the alliance partners as well Raut took a swipe at a senior BJP leader mockingly referring to him as the Jamner chi Mavshi the aunt from Jamner an apparent dig at BJP leader and Maharashtra water resources minister Girish Mahajan for claiming that the MPs left because Uddhav Thackeray was associated with the CongressSlamming the opposition leaders Raut asserted These BJP leaders act like the Mavshi supporting character in a Tamasha folk theatre When these six MPs won their elections it was with the help of the Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA and Congress workers Didnrsquot you know Congress was part of the alliance then Why this sudden hatred for the CongressRaut questioned challenging the BJPrsquos nationalist credentials by asking if any of their leaders had sacrificed their lives for Indias independenceThe Rajya Sabha MP further threatened that if enforcement agencies like the ED and CBI were neutralised for just half an hour ldquoThe BJP in Maharashtra would break into seven pieces with Girish Mahajan being the first to desertWith both the Thackeray and Shinde factions hosting separate highdecibel events for the Shiv Sena Foundation Day the Thackeray camp has already initiated disciplinary actions serving showcause notices to the six absent MPs to cancel their parliamentary membershipsWith inputs from IANS