Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has issued a legal notice to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut over a "defamatory" article which claimed that Mr Shinde tried to ensure the defeat of ally NCP's candidates in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Sanjay Raut shared on X the legal notice dated May 28, adding that it was a "very interesting" and "funny political document". Sources close to the chief minister confirmed that such a notice has been issued.
The notice said that in his column in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' on May 26, Mr Raut made a false statement that Chief Minister Shinde spent "unlimited amount of money" and distributed crores of rupees in each constituency. The article further claimed that Mr Shinde did all this to ensure the defeat of the candidates of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party, it said.
These statements were not only false but "defamatory and scandalous", and made to mislead the people and create unrest, the notice said.
"The defamatory news article has been published by you to get name, fame and political mileage for yourself and your so-called leader Shri Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray," it said, asking Mr Raut to produce evidence to back his allegations.
If he could not do so, the Rajya Sabha member should apologise within three days or face criminal and civil proceedings, the notice said.
The BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP are partners in the ruling Mahayuti alliance in the state.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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