For Shiv Sena, which is resolved to retain its control over the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) while taking on the erstwhile BJP by foiling its Mission 2022, the attachment of party MP Sanjay Raut’s properties by the Enforcement Directorate was a blessing in disguise. Shiv Sena is determined to aggressively take up an attack on Marathi Manoos and the injustice meted out against him by the BJP led government by deploying the central probe agencies in the run-up to the BMC elections.
For Shiv Sena, the Centre’s refusal to accord classical status to the Marathi language will also be another poll plank. Besides, Shiv Sena will target BJP for allegedly pursuing its agenda to break Mumbai from Maharashtra. In addition to Hindutva, Shiv Sena proposes to fire the Marathi language and Marathi manoos missiles on BJP in a bid to retain its power in BMC in the coming elections.
Raut, who has been vocal against the alleged misuse of central probe agencies by the BJP led government against the Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders in Maharashtra, claimed that ED’s move to attack his properties was an attack on “middle-class Marathi manoos” and asserted he will not be cowed by such moves and resist any act to pressurise him. Shiv Sena leaders and the party cadre came out in Raut’s support claiming that he has been the party's strong voice and they will not leave him alone in his fight.
Shiv Sena has already launched protests across Mumbai against BJP with a resolve to expose BJP’s vendetta politics.
However, leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis countered Raut’s allegations saying when the MVA government sends officers to the residences of BJP leaders even when they are not at fault they go to court as they trust it. When ED takes action on the basis of evidence, they are bad-mouthed, he said.
Meanwhile, Raut was given a hero's welcome in Mumbai after he landed in Delhi. A large number of Shiv Sainiks gathered at the airport and welcomed him shouting slogans against BJP for playing revenge politics and attacking the Marathi Manoos to pursue its political agenda. Raut is expected to meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to decide a future course of action.
