MUMBAI: Continuing the blame game against the BJP, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is deliberately being kept away from the Thackerays.
“Modi shared an intimate bond with Balasaheb (Thackeray). The bond existed much before Modi rose to become Prime Minister. But, now it appears that someone is trying to create a rift between Modi and Thackeray. They are deliberately being kept apart,” Raut said at his press conference that has become a routine for over a fortnight now.
Countering BJP president Amit Shah’s statement that nothing was committed at the meeting with Uddhav Thackeray and that the BJP had repeatedly said during its campaign that the next government would be under Devendra Fadnavis, Raut said, “Shiv Sena too had repeatedly said during its campaign that a Shiv Sena worker will become CM after the polls.”
Furthering his allegations, Raut said that Shah should have conveyed his conversation with Thackeray to Modi.
“The mess has been created because what transpired in Shah and Thackeray’s deliberations was not conveyed properly to Modi,” Raut said.
“The room where Shah and Thackeray had discussions is not an ordinary room. It is the room where Balasaheb (Thackeray) lived. For us, it is like a temple, an auspicious place. It is the place where Balasaheb had blessed Modi many times. If anyone is denying discussions held at such a place, that is an insult to Balasaheb and an insult to Maharashtra,” Raut said.
Raut also heaped praise on PM Modi and said that a “large-hearted” leader like him would have accepted the Shiv Sena’s demand had he been told about it.
Raut also warned the BJP against attempts to intimidate the Shiv Sena. “We are prepared to fight and die, but will not tolerate threats or coercive tactics,” he said.