Sanjay Raut targets Shinde Sena at Bal Thackeray memorial trailer

Sanjay Raut, the leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), referred to the confrontation between his party's workers and the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at Sena founder Bal Thackeray's memorial here on Friday as a trailer and claimed it demonstrated what would happen in 2024 leading up to the national and Maharashtra elections.

Addressing a press conference, Raut said the clash at Shivaji Park was between Sena loyalists and slaves of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He also attacked the Shinde-led Sena and said how can those who backstabbed the party and ideals of Bal Thackeray be Shiv Sainiks. He was referring to the revolt in the party led by Shinde in June last year, which resulted in a split in the parent party and collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

Two groups of the rival Sena faced off on Thursday night at Bal Thackeray’s memorial on the eve of his 11 death anniversary.vThose who are loyalist and true to Balasaheb’s ideals are real Shiv Sainiks. They may have opposed (the rival group) and this is acceptable to Maharashtra. The opposition by loyalist Shiv Sainiks to traitors is a trailer and also what lies in the run up to 2024 (national and state polls), the Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member said.

Everyone can come to Balasaheb’s Smriti Sthal (memorial). But we will never accept those who indulged in drama as Shiv Sainiks. They don’t have any faith in Balasaheb, Raut added.