'Uddhav went with NCP at Sanjay Raut's behest': Ramdas Athawale on split in Shiv Sena

Union Minister and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale accused Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut of the split in the party and said that only at Raut's behest did Udhav Thackeray ally with Sharad Pawar's NCP.

Speaking to ANI, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said, "It was not Sharad Pawar but Sanjay Raut who broke Shiv Sena. Uddhav Thackeray decided to go with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) only at the behest of Sanjay Raut."

Adding further, he said, "Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) would never have been formed if Shiv Sena and NCP had not come together and therefore BJP and Shiv Sena government would be formed in Maharashtra."

'Shiv Sena went against Balasaheb's decision': Athawale

Reacting to Shiv Sena Lok Sabha member Rahul Shewale's statement wherein he stated that Uddhav Thackeray was ready to forge an alliance with BJP in 2019, but it could not happen due to the deadlock of some Sena leaders, Athawale said that when Shiv Sena went with NCP, it went against Balasaheb Thackeray's decision.

"I had said this that it is against the decision of Balasaheb Uddhav Thackeray. If initially Udhav Thackeray would have come with BJP and taken the post of Deputy Chief Minister, there would not have been any deadlock," Athawale said. 

It is pertinent to mention that earlier in July, Athawale had said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction is the "original" Shiv Sena and hoped it would succeed in getting the party's poll symbol of "bow and arrow".

Speaking to reporters, Ramdas Athawale said, "As many as 40 out of the 55 Shiv Sena MLAs are with Eknath Shinde, and the Shiv Sena's poll symbol 'bow and arrow' should go to the Shinde faction. I am sure he will lay the claim for the symbol because he has more than two-thirds of MLAs with him." He also said that the Shinde-Fadnavis will successfully run the Maharashtra government for the remaining 2.5 years and thereafter, the alliance between Shinde and the BJP will win up to 200 seats in the next assembly election in the state.