Modi, Shah and Fadnavis conspired against Gadkari in Nagpur, claims Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union home minister Amit Shah and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis conspired to ensure the defeat of union minister Nitin Gadkari from the Nagpur constituency during the Lok Sabha elections.

In his weekly column in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna, Raut wrote, 'To ensure Gadkari’s defeat in Nagpur, Modi, Shah and Fadnavis came together and made worked together (Gadkari yancha Nagpurat parabhav vhava yasathi Modi, Shah, Fadnavis ekatra ale, prayatna kele).'

Raut further claimed that Fadnavis only began campaigning for Gadkari when it became clear that Gadkari was not going to lose: 'When it became evident that Gadkari was not going to be defeated, Fadnavis had no option but to campaign for him (Parabhav hoot nahi yachi khatri patlyawar Fadnavis hey nailajani Nagpurat pracharala utarle).'

Raut, the executive editor of Saamna, also alleged that if Amit Shah regains power, he will aim to remove Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. He wrote, 'If you have to save Yogi Adityanath, Modi has to go (Yogi ko bachana hain tau Modi ko jana hain).'

These claims from the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader have prompted strong reactions from the state BJP, which has dismissed them as absurd.

Senior BJP minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said, “Sanjay Raut has a habit of making sensational statements. But this time he has made ridiculous allegations that are not only false but utter nonsense.”

State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule concurred, saying, “Sanjay Raut is known for making statements which are never based on facts. This time he has crossed all the limits of decency by making wild and baseless allegations.”

Bawankule further advised Raut to focus on his own dwindling party members, suggesting even fewer may remain after the results are declared in favour of the BJP. “After the results on 4 June, even those with the Shiv Sena (UBT) may not remain,” he remarked. 

Nitin Gadkari, union minister for road transport and highways, is seeking re-election from the Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency, where polling took place in the first phase, on 19 April. The main contest is between the BJP’s Gadkari and Vikas Thakre of the Indian National Congress.