Shiv Sena troubleshooter Sanjay Raut began Friday with a jab at the Bharatiya Janata Party – which he, and his allies in the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, have accused of engineering Eknath Shinde’s revolt. Raut claimed that a union minister had threatened NCP chief Sharad Pawar, saying ‘if attempts are made to the Maha Vikas Aghadi then Pawar will not go home’.
“Whether or not the MVA survives, use of such language for Pawar is not acceptable,” Raut tweeted, tagging prime minister Narendra Modi’s office.
“Threats are being given to Sharad Pawar ji by a central minister. Do such threats have the support of Modi ji and Amit Shah ji?” he asked reporters.
Raut’s tweet came after union minister Narayan Rane claimed Sharad Pawar had threatened the rebels; this was after Pawar said Shinde’s camp would eventually have to return to Mumbai and could then be persuaded to stand down.
“They will definitely come and vote as per their will. If any harm comes to them, it will be difficult to go home,” Rane – an ex-Sena leader who jumped to the Congress and later the BJP – said, also appearing to taunt Raut in later tweet.
