In a unpleasant situations, human makes blunder of fit of anger or in greed of achieving a goal. So as per the quote of a playwright Nobel prize winner George Bernard Shaw “Political necessities sometime turn out to be political mistakes”.
Sanjay Raut was Shiv Sena’s blazing gun a month ago! Mr Raut was a guiding light to Maharashtra’s politics. Of course, Raut’s blazing gun would use to roar with the prior consent of Shiv Sena party chief Uddhav Thackeray, or in his opening statements, Mr.Raut made sure to mention Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar, NCP Supremo in his die regular press conferences.
And that’s why even post his surgery or angioplasty, he kept writing from the Lilavati Hospital. Raut, who has been in the Rajya Sabha since 2004 and the Executive Editor of Saamna, Shiv Sena mouthpiece, since 1992, is considered close to Sena in Mumbai and in Delhi, he is considered close to NCP Chief Pawar.
To mention a fact, regards to Pawar, Balasaheb had a soft corner, so, therefore, Mr Raut continued the same policy. Mr. Manohar Joshi had a close bond with Balasaheb. Therefore the same proximity is shared by Uddhav Thackeray gave and his trusted colleague Subhash Desai. But over some years Mr Sanjay Raut slowly started replacing Mr. Subhash Desai. Which indicates to a fact that Sanjay Raut was of becoming of No.2 in Shiv Sena, but things went into the torso.
The conspicuous absence of Sanjay Raut in cabinet expansion and news buzzing round with his discomfort on being denied ministerial berth to his two time elected MLA brother Sunil Raut were doing rounds. As the excuses Mr.Raut doled out to media on his absence in cabinet expansion was cited as he was sitting in the Saamna office writing his opinion editorials ‘, he told the press at large.
The excuse he cited were seems to be indigestible to the media, that’s why they continued to discuss it. Even though Sunil Raut’s word on not exiting the Shiv Sena as it was visible that no.2 in Sena was terribly upset. But in a press interview conducted by a Pune based newspaper, all hell loose when Sanjay Raut’s loose tongue gave rise to a storm in a teacup. It is in question that he stirred the hornet’s nest intentionally or it was done in a feat of rage? But in that interview, Raut’s loose tongue was enough for the three-party government of MVA to bring it in trouble!
His claims of Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi meeting Karim Lala in Pydhoni area in Mumbai, brew trouble for the Maha Vikas Aghadi Govt. The State Minister’s had several times met Bombay Underworld Haji Mastaan, he remarked and also added that he had himself met Dawood and reprimanded him as his confessions were seen in a castigated way! By linking Indira Gandhi’s meeting to a notorious Bombay Underworld don, irked a 44 MLA’s Congress. But the Congress leadership handled the issue with a effective skilled restraint.
Congress had already lost Karnataka. And now the loss of a financially important state of Maharashtra would have been a severe blow to congress which is going through rough weather. “The Grand Old party took smart steps to ensure that the power in Maharashtra must not loosen. And condemned the statement, and warned that in future such incidents should not happen.
Interestingly, when this interview was conducted at the same time, more or less during the same time, Aditya Thackeray and Rahul Gandhi were meeting in Delhi. As usual Uddhav Thackeray remained mute throughout the entire matter. Meanwhile, Aditya Thackeray recalled upon his grandfather. On the other side, NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar himself took the stand that Raut should have avoided commenting on Indiraji. Balasaheb always respected Indiraji ‘, this was enough to explain Aditya’s generous stand of Shiv Sena’s role in the matter.
In a sudden turn of events, Mr.Raut backtracked on his statements, he withdrew his statements and avoided a clash with the MVA Government. But the question remains, Sanjay Raut sharing a close bond with Uddhav Thackeray how could he dared to bring cracks within the personal relationships. Only for his brother’s ministerial berth? To say that Raut, who has been in journalism for more than three decades, had no idea about the horrific effects of his statements would be a fools paradise. So consideration of all such aspects, why did Mr Raut behaved such irresponsibly?? For this, the political style of Uddhav Thackeray must be considered.
Uddhav Thackeray, who is visibly successful in showing restraint & by projecting that he is very calm and soft and is skilled in smoothly slicing the butter with a knife, he has eliminated chances of forming opponents in his party. It all started with his cousin Raj and the then Former Chief Minister Narayan Rane Uddhav Thackeray, who pretended that he had not done enough for the duo in the end, forced them to exit the party once for all. After realizing that it is impossible for him to get the second term of Rajya Sabha, once the right hand of Balasaheb, the former Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, stated in an interview, that there is no match to Balasaheb leadership and currently Shiv Sena lacks any leadership and then had to apologise. But that did not end the matter. The Shiv Sainiks chanted slogans against Manohar Joshi at Dassera rally held at Shivaji Park, and finally, Manohar Joshi had to leave the stage.
Later, in the speech, Uddhav Thackeray mentioned one thing strongly: ‘ Any kind of indiscipline will not be tolerated.’ After this, Manohar Joshi more or less retired from the active politics of the Sena. In the case of Sanjay Raut, it is doubtful that something similar might not have happened. In his daily Press Conferences, he would confidently state that the CM would be from Shiv Sena. But in an unexpected development, Uddhav Thackeray would shock Mr.Raut by denying his brother a ministerial berth was a sham !
Therefore, the angered Raut had to abandon or shun the cabinet expansion. But Mr. Raut had assessed that nothing was going to be achieved, or he would be getting failures, that’s why in order to gain some political mileage or in last ditch effort he must have made such controversial statements. But it boomeranged and spell trouble for himself & nothing else. In the political life there are ups and downs, how did Mr. Raut who spent his three decades in journalism, failed to realise it ?? That is quite surprising!
He may have a full idea about the consequences of his generous nature. Yet the sadness of betrayal and feelings of hopelessness arousing from such unexpected shocks knows no boundaries…Yet such events shouldn’t have happened, and the stubbornness for brother’s ministerial ambitions was much bit arrogance, Mr Sanjay Raut this is ain’t good in politics!
-Jayant Mainkar
