Raut blames Congress for mess in Chandrapur polls

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, whose party sprang a surprise by supporting rival BJP in the mayoral elections in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur civic body, on Wednesday squarely blamed its MVA ally Congress for the “mess”.

He said the Congress should be “ashamed” of not being able to occupy power in Chandrapur despite emerging as the single largest party, and added that there was no point in blaming his party for the political twist.

Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut said the move by the Sena (UBT) corporators to back the BJP in the mayoral polls was taken at the local level and not by the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership. While the BJP shares power with the EknathShinde-led Shiv Sena and the NCP in the Mahayuti Government in the State, the Sena (UBT), SharadPawar’s NCP (SP) and the Congress are constituents of the Opposition MahaVikasAghadi (MVA).

Raut said Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had given clear instructions to the party functionaries in Chandrapur not to help the BJP in any way, even if that meant sitting in the Opposition, he said.

“Still, due to Congress’s mess, local (Shiv Sena-UBT) leaders have taken the decision. This does not mean we have joined hands with the BJP,” Raut said.