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As Pawar Meets PM, Sena Says Haven’t Announced Exit From BJP-Led NDA; Protests Seat Change In Rajya Sabha
NCP leader Sharad Pawar
With the Maharashtra political stalemate persisting, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut shot off a letter to Venkaiah Naidu, the Rajya Sabha Chairperson, saying the change in his seating arrangement in the House has "hurt sentiments" of his party.
But what has added a fresh twist to the ongoing political drama is his statement that "no formal" word has been made about Sena's exit from the NDA.
In his letter dated 18 November, he said: "I also fail to understand the reason for the unwarranted step of re-allocation of seats since there is no formal announcement about Sena's removal from the NDA.
"It may also be noted that no such decision has yet been taken by the Presiding Officer of the Lok Sabha," reads Raut's letter.
The Sena for the first time chose to stay away from the NDA meeting on 17 November. Earlier, Sena forced its lone minister in the Union cabinet Arvind Sawant to quit. It is in this perspective and in the background of the Sena's bid to form government with the NCP-Congress that Raut's remark on Sena not having formally exited the NDA assumes significance.
Raut is the leader of Shiv Sena Parliamentary Party in the Rajya Sabha and his seating position has been changed from the 3rd to the 5th row.
In his long letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairperson, Sanjay Raut has lashed out at the government's decision on seating arrangement, calling it "deliberate" and a move that is taken to "hurt the Shiv Sena."
"Astonished to know that my seating position in RS chamber is changed from 3rd to 5th row. This decision was taken by someone deliberately to hurt Shiv Sena's sentiments and suppress our voice,” Raut wrote in the letter, as reported by News18.
Sharad Pawar's NCP, which got 54 seats and has been in talks with both Sonia Gandhi and Shiv Sena for a non-BJP government in Maharashtra, too, has started giving mixed signals. On Monday after his meeting with Sonia Gandhi, Pawar said it is the Sena and BJP which need to worry about forming a government in Maharashtra.
On Wednesday (20 November), the Maratha strongman briefly met the Prime Minister. Sources said soon after BJP President Amit Shah entered PM Modi's chamber.
Earlier on Monday (18 November), PM Modi praised NCP for its conduct in the House, which too has been seen through political prism.
(With inputs from IANS)
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