Rahul Gandhi, Aaditya Thackeray Are Capable Of Leading Country: Sanjay Raut

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Friday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray are two "prominent young leaders" capable of leading the country.

Thackeray participated in Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra earlier in the day.

"Two prominent young leaders, Rahul Gandhi and Aaditya Thackeray, will walk together for Bharat Jodo and this will give rise to new energy. The two young leaders are capable of leading the country," he said.

Mr Raut, who was released from the jail after getting bail in a money laundering case, said the Shiv Sena was part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"They (Gandhi and Thackeray) have a lot of energy to work for the state and the country," he said.

Asked about the coming together of Uddhav Thackeray and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi leader Prakash Ambedkar, Mr Raut said a bond existed between their respective grandfathers, and it has now percolated down the generations.

"Babasaheb Ambedkar and Prabodhanakar Thackeray participated in the Samayukt Maharashtra movement. Babasaheb Ambedkar had strong views about Marathi pride.

"Prabodhankar Thackeray had requested Babasaheb Ambedkar to participate in the Maharashtra movement and he accepted it," he said.

"Ambedkar and Thackeray are two forces and when they come together, you will see the politics of the country changing," Mr Raut added.

The prevailing atmosphere in the state will make the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray a bigger force, he claimed.

"Everyone trusts Uddhav Thackeray. The bubbles have started bursting, and I can see a Shiv Sena wave and this will have an impact on Maharashtra politics," he said in a veiled attack on the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)