Congress must remain part of MVA ahead of BMC polls: Sanjay Raut

Raut gave an update on his health, acknowledging that he is slowly recovering but not yet fully fit. “Treatment is tougher than the illness itself. The radiation phase is over, and the doctors’ team is doing excellent work. My health is improving, and I hope to fully recover by December. If I were fully fit, I would be campaigning across Maharashtra for the municipal elections,” he said.

Speaking about political developments, Raut criticised Eknath Shinde-led Sena, stating, “I am not ready to call Shinde’s group as Shiv Sena. Amit Shah himself will dig the grave of Shinde Sena.” He also expressed concern over the state’s electoral culture, alleging that local elections are being influenced by large sums of money.

“In some areas, voters are being offered ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 per vote. Such manipulation was unheard of in municipal and panchayat elections earlier. This shows how the electoral culture of the state has deteriorated over the last four to five years,” he said.
Raut highlighted the importance of alliances, stressing collaboration with Raj Thackeray to counter the BJP in Mumbai. “The BJP is the main political challenge in the city. To stop them, it is necessary to work with Raj Thackeray,” he said.

He also spoke about personal interactions during his illness, mentioning calls from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde, underlining that personal relationships sometimes go beyond politics.

In response, Fadnavis said, “We are happy that Sanjay Raut is recovering. He should focus on his work; we will focus on ours.”