Sanjay Raut, Rajya Sabha MP from Shiv Sena (UBT), criticized his former ally Eknath Shinde ahead of the oath-taking ceremony for the new Mahayuti government, declaring that the "Shinde era is over" and asserting that he would "never be Chief Minister again." Raut also suggested that the BJP might eventually dismantle Shinde's party, which was formed after his 2022 rebellion that led to the downfall of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government.
Raut stated, "The Shinde era lasted only two years. His role has been fulfilled and now he has been discarded. He will never serve as Chief Minister again. The BJP might even break his party, as this is a tactic they’ve employed in the past with their allies."
The 2022 rebellion led by Shinde resulted in the collapse of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance, with Shinde joining hands with the BJP to form a new government. Following the split, Uddhav Thackeray's faction became known as Shiv Sena (UBT). The recent state election saw the Mahayuti alliance winning a total of 230 seats, with the BJP securing 132, Shinde's Sena 57, and the NCP 41.
Raut expressed skepticism about the stability of the Mahayuti government, noting delays in its formation despite having a majority. "This indicates internal issues within their alliance. From tomorrow, the cracks will start to show. They are not working for the state's welfare but are driven by their own selfish motives," Raut said, adding that while protests have erupted across the state against the election results, he still welcomed the new Chief Minister.
Prominent opposition leaders stayed away from the grand event, including former chief ministers such as NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. It appeared to be an unofficial boycott, a political statement by the MVA, which is still reeling from its shock defeat.