Shiv Sena biggest ‘ political enemy’ of BJP, says Raut

The Shiv Sena is the biggest political enemy of the BJP. The Sena’s radical Hinduism would prove problematic for the BJP. — Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena MP

Mumbai, June 3: In one of the sharpest attacks after the recently held Lok Sabha bypoll in Palghar, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday described BJP as its biggest “political enemy”.

The country “does not” want the duo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, but could “accept” the Congress or JD( S) leader H. D. Deve Gowda, he said.

“The Shiv Sena is the biggest political enemy ( rajkiya shatroo) of the BJP. The Sena’s radical Hinduism would prove problematic for the BJP,” he said in an opinion piece written under his “rokh- thokh” ( straight forward) column published in party mouthpiece Saamana.

Mr Raut is the editor of the Marathi daily.

Taking potshots at the saffron party, Mr Raut said the BJP paid tribute to its late MP Chintaman Wanaga by defeating his son, the Sena candidate, in Palghar.

The bypoll was necessitated by the death of Chintaman Wanaga.

Since the Sena is the main political opponent of the BJP, the latter’s plan is to weaken the Uddhav Thackeray- led party while staying in power with it, he alleged.

“Hence, the BJP’s plan is to stay with the Sena in power and try to weaken it by using power and money. The BJP used its resources to ensure Shiv Sena’s defeat in the Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll ( held last month),” Mr Raut said.

The Sena leader claimed “trickery” of EVMs led to the BJP’s victory in Palghar and said it was nothing short of a “scandal”.