Why Shiv Sena corporators shifted to hotel; who's afraid of whom? asks Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut on Monday questioned the shifting of corporatorselect from ruling ally Shiv Sena to hotels asserting that no party could easily stake claim to the BMC mayors post going by the mandate in the recent civic polls reported news agency PTIBJPndashShinde Sena alliance secures majority in BMC pollsIn the recently concluded civic polls the alliance of the BJP and Eknath Shindeled Shiv Sena won a clear majority in the 227member BMC securing 89 and 29 seats respectively The Uddhav Thackerayled Sena UBT won 65 seats while its ally MNS emerged victorious on sixShiv Sena says hotel stay meant for orientation workshopThe Shiv Sena has shifted its 29 members to a hotel in Mumbai ostensibly for an orientation workshop to make them aware of the functioning of the countrys richest civic body the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMCThe move followed the declaration of the BMC poll results which showed that the seats won by Shiv Sena are crucial for the BJP to draw up its strategy to get Mahayutis mayor installedlsquoWho is afraid of whomrsquo Raut asks ruling allianceShinde has already shifted his corporators to a fivestar hotel and as per my information the BJP is also planning to move its corporators to a safer place Who is afraid of whom You are the government The chief minister is watching corporators being shifted while attending the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos Switzerland It is amusing Raut told reportersRaut disputes PM Modirsquos remarks on Mumbai politicsReferring to Prime Minister Narendra Modis remarks that the BJP had defeated the Congress in the city where the party was born Raut said the PM appeared to have ignored history pointing out that the then undivided Shiv Sena controlled the BMC for the last 25 years while the Congress had remained largely marginal in Mumbai politics reported PTIThe Rajya Sabha member also recalled that the Congress was founded in Mumbai and the Quit India movement had been launched from the city during the freedom struggle asserting the BJP did not exist during those crucial phases of Indias political history reported PTINo decision yet on sitting in Opposition says RautAsked whether the Shiv Sena UBT had decided to sit in the Opposition in the BMC Raut said no such decision was taken and the party was merely watching the unfolding political developmentsWe are enjoying the developments he quippedSarcastic swipe at Fadnavisrsquo global receptionIn a sarcastic swipe Raut remarked that the grand welcome accorded to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Switzerland following the partys performance in the BMC and other civic polls made it seem as though he was on his way to becoming prime minister The Sena UBT leader however added that he would take pride if a Marathi leader were to hold the post someday reported PTIRaut also dismissed speculation about Fadnavis holding talks with Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav ThackerayAllegation of attempts to split BJP corporatorsHe further alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was attempting to engineer a split among BJP corporators in the neighbouring KalyanDombivli Municipal Corporation in Thane district and could try a similar move in Mumbai reported PTIShinde had earlier split the Shiv Sena with the support of Union Home Minister Amit Shah he chargedWith inputs from PTI