"It's No Secret That I Am Sharad Pawar's Man": Sena's Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday said it is a well-known fact that he is NCP president Sharad Pawar's man and the two share a good bond which helped form the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra in 2019.

His remarks come a day after Mr Pawar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and raised the issue of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attaching the assets of Mr Raut.

The BJP immediately took a jibe at Mr Raut, saying the Rajya Sabha MP's comments show he is closer to Mr Pawar than his own party president and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

On Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate had attached assets worth more than Rs 11.15 crore of Mr Raut's wife and two of his associates in a money-laundering investigation linked to certain land deals.

After the meeting, Mr Pawar told reporters he spoke to the PM about the "injustice" being done to Mr Raut.

“It is not a hidden fact that I am Sharad Pawar's man. While I have been in the Shiv Sena, my relations with Pawar are close which is why we could form this government. The BJP is upset because of this,” Mr Raut told reporters in response to a question.

The Rajya Sabha MP, who is also the executive editor of Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', is known for his close ties with Mr Pawar despite both of them belonging to political parties which are ideologically apart.

Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray, too, shared good rapport with the former Union agriculture minister.

In 2019, the Shiv Sena broke ties with the BJP and joined hands with its ideological rivals Congress and the NCP to form the MVA government. Pawar was a key architect of the three-party coalition.

Attacking BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, Raut alleged the former Lok Sabha MP siphoned off money in the name of funds collected to save warship INS Vikrant from getting dismantled.

“Crores were collected by Kirit Somaiya on the pretext of saving INS Vikrant. The money was then taken to Somaiya's Neelam Nagar office (in Mulund in northeast Mumbai), some money was taken to Juhu. The money was laundered through the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank,” the Sena MP said.

The Mumbai Police have registered an FIR to probe allegations against Somaiya, who has denied any wrongdoing.

“Law will take its course. This crime (the alleged siphoning of funds) is equivalent to treason,” Mr Raut added.

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil said it was good that Mr Raut has admitted that he was closer to Mr Pawar than Mr Thackeray.

Speaking to reporters in Kolhapur, Mr Patil said, “Sanjay Raut has admitted that he is Sharad Pawar's man. Good that Raut has admitted he is affiliated more to Pawar than his own party president (Uddhav Thackeray)." The former minister said Mr Pawar, too, has exhibited his closelness to Mr Raut as he has not shown same alacrity in taking up the cause of his party colleagues who are in legal trouble.

“Pawar has also shown his closeness with Raut as he immediately met the Prime Minister after the Sena leader's properties were attached. Pawar never exhibited such promptness when his own party colleagues and state cabinet ministers were arrested,” Mr Patil said.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)