Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 17 : Shiv Sena spokesperson Susieben Shah on Saturday slammed Sanjay Raut for calling Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde 'Jaichand', saying that the party split because of the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP while asking him to "look at his conduct over the past several years".
Speaking to ANI, Shah said, "As far as Sanjay Raut is concerned, he must look at his conduct of the past several years. It is because of him that the Shiv Sena had to be split."
She further expressed gratitude towards Maharashtra citizens for giving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) alliance emerging as the single largest bloc in the BMC polls.
"First, at the outset, I would thank the citizens of Maharashtra, the citizens of Mumbai, for giving us a resounding victory. We will work towards sabka saath, sabka vikas and maha vikas," Shah said.
She also emphasised that the ruling Mahayuti, comprising the BJP and Shiv Sena, holds the majority and has the arithmetic to appoint its own mayor in Mumbai.
"Mahayuti has the majority, has the numbers, and has the arithmetic to have their own mayor. CM Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde will sit together and arrive at a very respectable solution. In Mumbai, there are only two brothers, Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde," she said.
The exchange comes after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut earlier today launched a scathing attack on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde following the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election results, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would never have gained a foothold in the city's civic body had Shinde not "betrayed" the party, asserting that the Marathi people would remember Shinde as "Jaichand."
In a post on X, Raut invoked the historical reference of Jaichand, a Rajput ruler from the powerful Gahadavala dynasty, remembered in popular folklore for siding with Muhammad Ghori against Prithviraj Chauhan, to accuse Shinde of betrayal.
"If Eknath Shinde had not become the Jaichand of Shiv Sena, the BJP would never have got a Mayor in Mumbai! The Marathi people will remember Shinde as Jaichand," Raut wrote.
Elaborating, Raut accused the BJP of engineering splits within opposition parties to consolidate power across states. "BJP wins by creating 'Jaichands'. Otherwise, what is the BJP's strength? In every state, in every city, they break up every party and create 'Jaichand' to win elections," he said.
Raut further questioned the political standing of the Deputy Chief Minister, saying, "They are equal to zero. What is the Deputy Chief Minister's strength? As long as they are in power, people will salute them; otherwise, people will throw shoes at their cars."
Meanwhile, the BMC elections saw the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) alliance emerge as the single largest bloc, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) alliance also secured a significant share of seats and votes across Mumbai.
According to official figures released by the Election Commission and the BMC, the BJP won 89 seats. Its alliance partner, the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), secured 29 seats. Together, the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde) alliance emerged as the largest bloc in the BMC.
On the other hand, the Shiv Sena (UBT), contesting in alliance with the MNS, won 65 seats.
The Indian National Congress (INC) secured 24 seats. Among other parties, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) won eight seats, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) secured three seats, the Samajwadi Party won two seats, and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) won one seat.