Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 8 : Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday slammed the NDA government in the Centre, saying that the INDIA bloc's agenda is to "dethrone the people who betrayed the nation."
The INDIA bloc meeting began at the Constitution Club today.
Speaking to ANI, Sanjay Raut defended Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, as posters targeting him appeared at several roundabouts in New Delhi ahead of the INDIA bloc meeting. The posters included remarks by NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, against Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.
He said, "Those raising questions against Rahul Gandhi are foolish people. He is the most important, popular, and spirited leader of the nation. The government is scared of him. We will participate in the INDIA bloc meeting today, but virtually. There is only one agenda: To dethrone the people who have betrayed the nation."
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also emphasised the need for having a Prime Ministerial candidate in the INDIA bloc for the 2029 General Elections.
"Be it General Elections, or Assembly elections in states, there should be a face," he said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray is participating in the INDIA bloc meeting virtually.
Amid visible cracks between Congress and DMK, which used to be staunch INDIA bloc allies, earlier today, Sanjay Raut clarified Sena (UBT)'s commitment to further strengthening the alliance in the run-up to the 2029 General Elections.
"Today, in the INDIA Bloc meeting in Delhi, Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray will participate virtually. Shiv Sena (UBT) remains a committed member of the INDIA Alliance. Our consistent stand has been -- and will continue to be -- that the INDIA Bloc must become more united and stronger. We will fight together against the grave challenges facing the nation and bring meaningful change in 2029," the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP posted on X.
Congress and Uddhav Thackeray have been allies since 2019, and have contested elections alongside NCP (SCP) under the Maha Vikas Aghadi banner in Maharashtra.
According to senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, 23 political parties will be in attendance at the meeting, which will take place at the Constitution Club in the national capital.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Udit Raj said that DMK will be weakened if it quits the INDIA bloc. Aam Aadmi Party, which quit the alliance last year, would also not attend the meeting. Udit Raj claimed that a weakened AAP may merge with the BJP in future.
The Congress leader said, "This will weaken them. We do not want to see the DMK weakened. If they are not part of the INDIA Alliance, two scenarios may arise: either they remain neutral, or they support the BJP. Remaining neutral is, in a way, tantamount to supporting the BJP. This is because the INDIA alliance would be weakened, and ideologically, there is absolutely no alignment between the DMK and the BJP. So, we still maintain that they should be part of the alliance if they wish to save the Constitution and the reservation. After all, reservation is a crucial matter of social justice, and in Tamil Nadu, that party was founded on the principles of social justice."
"As for the AAP, it is grappling with internal contradictions; look at the reports coming out of Punjab. Sooner or later, if it becomes significantly weakened, it might possibly merge into the BJP," Udit Raj added.
DMK will not attend the meeting as Congress ended its long-standing partnership with the party after Congress joined hands with the Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).