Despite initial confidence in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance's victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut retracts statement and claims the results are not acceptable. This comes as the alliance struggles to maintain their lead against the MahaYuti alliance. In response, BJP Minister Chandrakant Patil extends an invitation to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to rejoin the MahaYuti, stating their comfortable position in forming the next government. The decision for the next chief minister will be made by the top leadership of the BJP and MahaYuti.
According to Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, some seats have been stolen amid the counting of votes for the Maharashtra polls, leading to a win for the ruling Mahayuti. Along with other leaders, he questions the election results, alleging foul play and pointing to the use of EVMs in the elections. They have called for an investigation into the matter and expressed confidence in their faction's victory that is not reflected by the current trend.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has suggested that Uddhav Thackeray will be the chief ministerial face of the MVA alliance in the upcoming Maharashtra elections. However, the final decision will be made after discussions with the alliance partners. This comes after the previous MVA government led by Thackeray was toppled in 2022. Opposition parties have responded by asking for focus on winning the election rather than dreaming about the chief minister's post.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their stance on the Emergency imposed in 1975. He stated that while the BJP leaders are attacking the Emergency, Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray had openly supported it. Raut defended the imposition of the Emergency, citing possible threats to the country at that time. He also mentioned the recent controversy surrounding the Indian cricket team's victory at the T20 World Cup and his own break from playing.
Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) offer of the Minister of State with Independent Charge portfolio for his colleague Praful Patel, citing that Patel had previously served as a cabinet minister in the central government. Pawar stated that they would wait for a cabinet ministry instead, given that their ranks are expected to grow with the entrance of new Rajya Sabha members. The rejection came after the NDA's poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, with NCP winning only one seat while BJP and Shiv Sena secured 9 and 7 respectively. NCP's Sharad Pawar leader Rohit Pawar also commented on the rejection, stating that those who ally with BJP see a decrease in their power.
In a major relief for Praful Patel, a court in Mumbai has overturned an order by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to attach his properties worth over Rs 180 crore. The properties were allegedly acquired illegally from the widow of a notorious drug lord and close associate of Dawood Ibrahim. Rejecting the ED's action, the court stated that the properties were not connected to money laundering and were wrongfully targeted.
After the shocking results of the Lok Sabha elections, leaders of the INDIA Bloc - comprising of Congress and opposition parties - are making moves to form a government with Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu's support. While Tejashwi Yadav hints at attempts to woo them back to the alliance, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut criticizes PM Modi's "autocracy" and claims that Naidu and Nitish won't join hands with an autocratic regime. The INDIA bloc will hold a meeting to strategize on forming the government, and the Lok Sabha elections results have thrown a curveball with the BJP falling short of majority.
After the BJP-led NDA fell short of an absolute majority in Lok Sabha election results, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut expressed his party's support for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister of INDIA. Raut stated that if Gandhi is willing to accept the leadership, there is no reason for the coalition to oppose him. Meanwhile, other key players like TDP's N Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar are expected to play a crucial role in forming the next government, with Modi's return as PM likely. This election has given a new life to the Opposition bloc, INDIA, as they halted the BJP's attempt at achieving a majority.
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.
During a rally in Maharashtra's Nandurbar, PM Modi retaliated against Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut for comparing him to Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. He accused the Congress of conspiring to end Hindu faith and referred to Lalu Prasad Yadav's controversial remarks on Muslim reservation. The fourth phase of Lok Sabha Elections is set to take place on May 13, with the results being announced on June 4.