Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut accused Prime Minister Modi, Amit Shah, and Devendra Fadnavis of working to ensure Nitin Gadkari's defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. He also alleged that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde distributed money to defeat NCP candidates in every constituency. Raut even claimed that the RSS is openly stating that Fadnavis helped the opposition to defeat Gadkari. Furthermore, he took a dig at Yogi Adityanath, stating that the UP CM will be replaced if the Modi-Shah government comes back to power.
Background:
Nitin Gadkari, a prominent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union Transport Minister, contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the Nagpur constituency in Maharashtra. However, he faced allegations of being sabotaged by his own party members.
Allegations by Shiv Sena Leader Sanjay Raut:
In the aftermath of the elections, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut made explosive allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Raut accused them of conspiring to ensure Gadkari's defeat. He also alleged that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde distributed money to defeat NCP candidates in every constituency.
Raut further claimed that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) openly stated that Fadnavis had helped the opposition to defeat Gadkari. He also targeted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying that he would be replaced if the Modi-Shah government returned to power.
Response from BJP:
The BJP leadership denied all allegations made by Raut. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the BJP was "shocked" by the "baseless" accusations. He dismissed Raut's claims as "imaginary" and "outrageous."
Investigation and Findings:
The Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered an investigation into the allegations made by Raut. However, the ECI has not yet released its findings.
Fallout:
The allegations raised by Raut created a rift within the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena, led by Raut, broke its alliance with the BJP in 2020 and joined the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
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