Mumbai, Jan 10 Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut said on Saturday that the election of 70 NDA candidates unopposed in the Maharashtra civic elections is "completely fraudulent". He drew a comparison to the experiences of prominent national leaders, asserting that even influential political leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah have never been elected without opposition.
Raut questioned how individuals could be elected unopposed in "wholesale" (large numbers).
In an interview with IANS, the Shiv Sena-UBT leader also discussed the alliance between Shiv Sena-UBT and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for the upcoming BMC elections, the party's prospects in the civic polls, the Mahayuti alliance, and the unification of factions within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for the upcoming elections.
The following are the excerpts from the interview:
IANS: The Maharashtra civic body elections are yet to be held, but before that, nearly 70 NDA candidates have been elected unopposed. How do you see this?
Sanjay Raut: This is completely fraudulent. There are so many big leaders in the country, take Prime Minister Narendra Modi, take Amit Shah, have these people ever been elected unopposed? This has never happened... Many great leaders have been born in the country, but this has never happened before.
Being elected unopposed is a very big deal. But now, people are being elected unopposed in wholesale. Bids are placed on the person standing in front of you; they are given money to withdraw their nomination. It's all a game of money. Five crore rupees were given to withdraw a nomination. Where does all this money come from? That's the biggest question... We have gone to court against the person who was elected unopposed. Now let's see.
IANS: What do you have to say about the allegations being raised against the Election Commission's functioning?
Sanjay Raut: The Election Commission is a puppet of the BJP; whether it's the one in Delhi or the one in Maharashtra, they are all puppets of the BJP. We want elections to be conducted democratically. We would never want to threaten or bribe someone standing against us to force them to withdraw their nomination. Elections should be conducted like elections. If we follow the Constitution, we cannot kill it.
The responsibility for handling all this lies with the Election Commission. However, the election body is sitting there like a cat, doing nothing. If these people sit like this, democracy in the country is in danger.
In Maharashtra, we go to the people and give them presentations on how fake votes are cast and how people are elected unopposed. But the Election Commission is doing nothing, sitting silently like a mere spectator. There are BJP people in the Election Commission. The BJP has placed its own people in the Election Commission. How will these people raise their voices against the government?
IANS: The Thackeray brothers are back together. Why was this alliance important?
Sanjay Raut: The point is, this election is not just about the Thackeray brothers. Mumbai is a city that is like a country in itself. Mumbai is often referred to as the financial capital of the country, and additionally, it serves as the capital of Maharashtra. And, in the capital of Maharashtra, Balasaheb Thackeray and the Shiv Sena have always been in power.
These elections are being conducted after seven years; the entire demography of the state has changed; the entire city has changed. However, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have come together to save Mumbai.
Shiv Sena has always been there to protect the Maharashtrians. Every section of Mumbai is with Shiv Sena. Whenever there is a talk about Mumbai, its issues and problems that it is facing, then everyone's first thought is that Shiv Sena will protect us.
IANS: How did you manage to bring the Thackeray brothers together?
Sanjay Raut: I didn't have much of a role in bringing the two brothers together. I am certainly a friend of both, and my relationship with both has always been strong. All problems are solved through dialogue. The people of Maharashtra need these two brothers. Raj Thackeray had said that if Maharashtra is in danger, I will take two steps back, and that's exactly what happened.
This fight in Mumbai is for the existence of the Marathi people. The problem for which Shiv Sena was founded 60 years ago has resurfaced. That's why both brothers had to come together. There was pressure from the public, too, on both brothers, saying that they have to come together; otherwise, we will boycott the elections.
IANS: How many seats will Shiv Sena-UBT and MNS get in the BMC elections?
Sanjay Raut: What's the use of statistics? We will get a majority in the BMC.
IANS: You claimed that there was a conspiracy to break up the Shiv Sena. Why do you think so, and who do you believe was behind it?
Sanjay Raut: The Shiv Sena has been broken up, and Home Minister Amit Shah is responsible for it. The BJP and Amit Shah broke it. These people look at Mumbai from a businessman's perspective. They are afraid of the Shiv Sena. As long as we are here, they cannot loot Mumbai as they please or do whatever they want.
"The conspiracy to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra is an old one, and we will foil this conspiracy... A conspiracy to break up Mumbai will not work here. The people of Mumbai will not remain silent," Raut added.
IANS: Why do you think anyone wants to break up Mumbai? What is the motive behind it?
Sanjay Raut: They want to make Mumbai a Union Territory; they want to enslave Mumbai, like many other Union Territories. Mumbai will be controlled from Delhi, or by the Home Ministry sitting in Delhi. If they can't do this, their aim is to break up the regional parties in Maharashtra, like the Shiv Sena and NCP.
These two parties are the ones that protect the people of Mumbai and Maharashtra. The vision of these two parties is to stand with the farmers and labourers here and fight for their rights. This is the ideology of these two parties. We have never conspired against anyone or even thought of breaking up any party. Balasaheb Thackeray never did, and we never will. Come and consider this state as your own and contribute to the development of the city. This is the vision of Shiv Sena.
IANS: You say that the Marathi people's existence is in danger. However, the Chief Minister, the BJP's state and Mumbai Presidents, all of whom are Marathi, so why are they a threat to the Marathi people?
Sanjay Raut: The BJP had no contribution to the development of Maharashtra. A great struggle was fought to create Maharashtra; 106 people sacrificed their lives, and the BJP was nowhere to be seen. The BJP wants to break Maharashtra into four pieces.
"The BJP's agenda is to separate Marathwada and Vidarbha. This is a BJP conspiracy... People in Delhi are working to break up Mumbai. When Mumbai faces a crisis, do their masters, the BJP leaders, ever stand with Mumbai?"
"We will not let Mumbai be destroyed. Have any BJP people ever said anything about this? What does being Marathi have to do with it? Will being Marathi solve the crisis facing Mumbai?"
IANS: Is Shiv Sena-UBT fully prepared for the BMC elections and confident that they will once again come to power and their candidate will become the Mayor?
Sanjay Raut: We have the full support of the people of Mumbai, whether they are Hindi-speaking, Muslim, or of any other religion. Everyone wants Shiv Sena for Mumbai. If we want to save the existence of Mumbai, then Shiv Sena is necessary.
IANS: Some people are raising the Hindu-Muslim agenda for the BMC elections. How do you see this?
Sanjay Raut: Those who indulge in Hindu-Muslim politics should be beaten with slippers and shoes. This will not work. We should talk about the progress of the country and what the agenda is. What does Hindu-Muslim have to do with this? This election is about local issues.
Why does the BJP do religious politics? The BJP is addicted to this; they cannot go to elections or contest elections without doing Hindu-Muslim politics. The people have understood the BJP's entire game, and our saffron flag will fly over the Mumbai civic body.
IANS: The Chief Minister has said that a Hindu Marathi will become the Mayor of Mumbai. Who do you think will sit in the Mayor's chair because there are calls for a Khan, Pathan, or a woman in a burqa as Mayor?
Sanjay Raut: Is a Marathi person not a Hindu? Who was Veer Savarkar? Who was Balasaheb Thackeray? What new investment has Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis brought that it has to be a Hindu Marathi? You should either say Marathi or Hindu. Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra. The first citizen of any place is the Mayor. He/she represents the language of that state. In West Bengal, the Mayor should be Bengali, in Patna, he/she should be a Hindi speaker, similarly, the Mayor of Mumbai should be Marathi. There is no room for doubt in this.
IANS: All parties that used to talk against each other are now forming an alliance. Why is that?
Sanjay Raut: BJP used to say that it would never form an alliance with Congress, but they did so in Ambernath... These are all hypocritical people; they can do anything for power. They are only concerned with power.
IANS: ALl India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi has said that India will have a hijab-wearing Prime Minister. What do you have to say about this?
Sanjay Raut: For that, he will have to get at least 300 of his MPs elected. Who made APJ Abdul Kalam the President of the country? We made him, didn't we? The people of the country made him, didn't they? Muslims have been hanged fighting for the country, haven't they? Don't do religious politics. The one who is capable will become the leader. Who is Owaisi? He is the leader of a party from Hyderabad. Do 300 MPs get elected from Hyderabad? Listen to what they say and forget it.
IANS: You have said that the BJP and RSS have not contributed to the Independence of the nation. Now you said that Muslims died fighting for this country. Why do you think so?
Sanjay Raut: The BJP and RSS people had no contribution to the country's Independence. Muslims made sacrifices and were revolutionaries. There are names of prominent Muslim figures in Maharashtra; I know their contributions. It would be wrong to say that Muslims made no contribution.
Where is the BJP? The BJP is nowhere. Where are those who claim to be dedicated to national service? What national service have they done? Tell me! There is only destruction in the country; they have ruined people, made them useless. How can we call this Hindutva...? The BJP should first understand the meaning of national service and then talk.
IANS: You were unwell, and there are reports that Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis called you to enquire about your health. Are you on talking terms with them?
Sanjay Raut: Eknath Shinde did call. What's wrong with that? He is the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. At one time, Eknath Shinde was my colleague; we worked together. There are political operations, there are ideological battles, but when a person is in trouble, we communicate with each other or stand by each other.
Enmity is not of that kind, and enmity in politics is different... A person (Eknath Shinde) has broken our party. A party can break, people can separate from the party, whether they are MLAs or leaders, but the way a new pattern has emerged, break 40 people and become the owner of the party... Shiv Sena is a party created by Balasaheb Thackeray, which was handed over to Uddhav Thackeray. What is Eknath Shinde's role in all this?
Eknath Shinde, you formed a new party, stand against us, campaign against us, we will welcome you, but the party is ours, the election symbol is mine. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is playing all these games sitting in Delhi. As long as Amit Shah is there, his party will exist. The Supreme Court knows that sooner or later, the party's name and symbol will have to be given to Uddhav Thackeray. That's why the court is just giving dates after dates; no decision is coming. It's being deliberately delayed. The decision will have to be given according to the law.
IANS: Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has said that both factions of the NCP are united and the family differences have been resolved. How do you see this?
Sanjay Raut: The statement is very significant, but Ajit Pawar is currently in the Mahayuti alliance with the BJP, and we have seen for many years that Sharad Pawar's ideology is completely different from the BJP's. So, will Ajit Pawar leave the Mahayuti?
If Ajit Pawar leaves the MahaYuti and comes back to Sharad Pawar, we will welcome him, but I don't think Sharad Pawar will go with the BJP because Sharad Pawar has fought against the BJP's ideology his entire life. I don't think Sharad Pawar will go with the BJP.
IANS: Shiv Sena-UBT and Congress are contesting the elections independently this time? Has the alliance been broken, or is there any chance of the parties uniting again in future?
Sanjay Raut: Our relations with the Congress are very good. The Congress might have some compulsions. We tried our best to come together, but it didn't happen. After the elections, we will come together again.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi was not formed for the local body elections; it was formed for the Assembly elections. Local body elections are for the local people. There is a lot of politics involved here; there are some ups and downs, but we are with the Congress in Maharashtra and also in the INDIA bloc.
IANS: Will the MNS also form an alliance with Congress?
Sanjay Raut: The talks are underway. Let's see.
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