Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 17 : Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Shirsat on Wednesday slammed Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut over his recent use of abusive language toward party MPs suspected of switching sides, calling the conduct "insulting" and "not right."
Addressing the controversy in Mumbai, Shirsat stated, "You must have seen him abusing. He leads a district; he's been working for so many years... I think abusing them and insulting them in this manner was not right."
The minister further contended that such behaviour appears to be a long-standing issue within the faction, which he believes has driven the current internal unrest.
"This must have been going on for a long time. The result is that today the MPs don't want to be with them," Shirsat added.
Earlier today, during the press conference, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut hurled abuses at party rebel MPs, asking the media not to cut out his comments.
Addressing the press conferences along with party MPs Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai in the national capital, Raut warned that the people of Maharashtra will not remain silent on this trustless act.
He also warned the rebels and said those wishing to leave the party should first "resign from their posts" and face the people again.
"If anyone wants to go, they can resign and leave. If such reports emerge about our MPs, then they should refute them. This time, the people of Maharashtra will not remain silent," Raut told reporters in Delhi.
Soon after his offensive remarks at suspected rebel MPs, party MP Anil Desai backed the Rajya Sabha MP Raut and said that whatever is said in the press conferences is slang, it is not meant for anyone in particular.
He added, "Whatever is said, these are slang; it is not meant for anyone particularly. When an emotionally sensitive person, who has spent 50 years of his life in politics in the public sphere, speaks, such things happen. He also clarified that he wasn't addressing any particular person."
Raut said the party leadership had worked tirelessly to ensure the victory of its MPs and warned of strict action if any lawmaker defected. "Our MPs, for whom Uddhav ji and we shed blood and sweat, gave money, made them win elections... still if such news comes, we will not spare them," he said.
Raut also levelled serious allegations, claiming that money had been offered to party MPs in an attempt to engineer a split.
"I have information that Rs 15 crore each was delivered to the MPs, after which they boarded charter flights from three places, including Nanded and Pune. We have issued a whip for the Parliamentary Party Meeting tomorrow. Arvind ji has written to the Lok Sabha Speaker," he said.
The remarks come amid intense political speculation in Maharashtra over reports of a possible split within Shiv Sena (UBT). However, there has been no official confirmation from the party regarding any breakaway faction.
Maharashtra is currently witnessing "Operation Tiger" buzz amid speculation that seven of the nine UBT MPs were in touch with Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and are looking to join the ruling party. Back in 2022, Shinde, along with several MLAs, broke away from Uddhav Thackeray, splitting the party into two.