Shiv Sena MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut and Haryana’s Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Tuesday exchanged barbs over the former’s caustic comment that the delay in the Government formation was because “there is no Dushyant (Chautala) in Maharashtra whose father is in jail”.
Queried as to why as there was such a long delay in the formation of a new Government in Maharashtra, Raut said: “There is no Dushyant (Chautala) in Maharashtra whose father is in jail. Here (Maharashtra) it’s us (Shiv Sena) who do politics of dharma and satya, Sharad (Pawar) ji who created an environment against the BJP and fought the elections and Congress that has numbers but will never go with BJP”.
“If you look at all this, you will realise that the situation in Maharashtra has become so complicated,” Raut said.
On speculation that effort was on the BJP’s part to teach a lesson to the Shiv Sena by keeping it away from power, Raut said: “Tell me who will teach lesson to whom. Is keeping a party away from power a lesson? If someone wants to keep us away from power, it is our honour. Our party was born in the Opposition and grew up on the streets. Like you are saying, if someone — that too while in the alliance — conspires to keep us away from power, then this is not a politics of dharma”.
Hitting back at Raut for comments against him and his incarcerated father Ajay Chautala, Haryana’s Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala told media persons in the national Capital: “It means he knows who Dushyant Chautala is. My father has been in jail for six years, he [Raut] never asked about his well being. Ajay Chautala Ji will not come out without completing his term. It is a matter of pride for a father to be with the son at the time of both defeat and victory. I would like to say only one thing to Sanjayji that his stature will not grow with this kind of statements.”
“His ( Raut’s) party has been in alliance with the BJP for a long time. My party was set up just 11 months ago. It is not our intention to fight with others, or use politics of intimidation and threats. We want to implement honest politics for the next 5 years.”