No need for Shiv Sena to be present at Rashtra Manch meeting: Sanjay Raut

Mumbai: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday clarified that the party has not got an invite for the meeting hosted by the NCP chief Sharad Pawar as it is the meeting convened under the banner of Rashtra Manch. He also ruled out the possibility of a third front saying that Pawar is the tallest leader and the Rashtra Manch leaders may have gone to seek his advice.

‘’It was the meeting of the Rashtra Manch. There are no other parties so there is no need for Shiv Sena to be present at the meeting,’’ said Raut.

"Someone has said that there is a meeting of the Opposition in Delhi. Is there Congress or Mayawati's party at the meeting, Yashwant Sinha has started Rashtra Manch and convened today’s meeting. I can't say anything about that. Beyond that, I don’t think the importance of the meeting,’’ he opined.

Sharad Pawar is a great leader. Rashtra Mach leaders may have approached Pawar to seek his advice. There are news about the formation of the third front or fifth front. I don’t think so. However, there is a thinking among the opposition to come together against the Modi government’s policies,’’ noted Raut.

Raut said Shiv Sena and NCP are together. ‘’BJP forgets that it has to stay out of power only because Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray came together. I can understand their grief,’’ he added.