Apart from the opposition BJP, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut also didn't attend the much-awaited swearing-in ceremony of new ministers in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government on Monday.
Absence of Sanjay Raut set rumour mills abuzz that he was "unhappy" after his brother Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Raut was denied a ministerial berth in the party-led Maharashtra government and was planning to quit as legislator.
But later Sanjay Raut refuted the speculations that he was upset with the development. The Rajya Sabha MP told new agency ANI, "I and my family are always with the Shiv Sena. We are loyal to the Thackeray family. Our family has contributed to the government's formation in the state." "It is a government of three parties where able people are in every party. So whatever is given in quota has to be accepted. I am happy that Uddhav Thackeray is the Chief Minister of the state," added Raut. "We have never asked for anything. Instead, we believe in giving to the party. My brother Sunil never demanded a ministerial berth. Some people are only spreading rumours," he said.
Since this afternoon, there were wild media rumours, in a section of media that the Raut brothers were very upset and while Sanjay Raut allegedly boycotted the oath-taking ceremony, Sunil Raut was preparing to quit from his legislature seat. Thackeray himself rejected reports of a so-called rift or displeasure from several quarters including the Sena, saying he has not heard any such thing, after conducting the first full-fledged cabinet meeting this evening.
Even, Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Raut on Monday rubbished all speculation that he was "unhappy" over being denied a ministerial berth in the party-led Maharashtra government and was planning to quit as legislator. "These are all fake and misleasing news being spread. Before a legislator, I am a disciplined soldier of the Shiv Sena. There is no better news than the government led by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as CM taking power in the state," Sunil Raut said in a statement this evening.
A total of 36 leaders from Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress, including Ajit Pawar and Aaditya Thackeray, on Monday took oath as ministers in the Maharashtra government.
Besides Ajit Pawar, Nawab Malik, Anil Deshmukh, Hasan Mushrif, Rajendra Shingne, Rajesh Tope, Jitendra Awhad, and Balasaheb Patil took oath as ministers from the NCP quota.
Ashok Chavan, Congress MLAs Dilip Walse-Patil, Dhananjay Munde, Sunil Chhatrapal Kedar, and KC Padavi will become part of the Maharashtra Cabinet. On November 28, Uddhav Thackeray took oath as Chief Minister bringing an end to weeks of political instability in the state's politics after Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress stitched a post-poll coalition as Maha Vikas Aghadi. Six other ministers -- two each from NCP, Congress, and Shiv Sena took the oath of office.
(Inputs from Agencies)
