Next Independence Day, ‘Thackeray-2’ govt’s CM to hoist national flag in Maharashtra: Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut has been indirectly suggesting that Uddhav Thackeray will be the MVA's chief ministerial face in the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Even though Raut has not directly asserted that Uddhav Thackeray will be the MVA's chief ministerial face, he has been suggesting it for some time. File)

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut reiterated on Thursday the “Thackeray-2” government will come back to power in Maharashtra after the Assembly elections later this year, hinting that party chief Uddhav Thackeray will be the chief ministerial face of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

“When Uddhav Thackeray was chief minister, he hoisted the national flag at Mantralaya on Independence Day. Today, he hoisted the flag at Shiv Sena Bhavan. Next year, on Independence Day, the chief minister of Thackeray-2 government, which will be the MVA government, will hoist the national flag at Mantralaya,” said Raut.

He, however, added that the chief ministerial face will be decided only after discussing with the alliance partners, the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar).

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Even though Raut has not directly asserted that Uddhav Thackeray will be the MVA’s chief ministerial face, he has been suggesting it for some time. The MVA government under Thackeray was toppled in 2022 after Eknath Shide orchestrated a rebellion within the undivided Shiv Sena and formed a new government in alliance with the BJP.

On Tuesday, he stated that “Thackeray-2” government would return to power in Maharashtra and asked the Congress to reveal its choice for the chief minister, if it has any.

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Reacting to Raut’s statement, Congress chief Nana Patole said the statement was made by neither him nor Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar nor Uddhav Thackeray. “The chief ministership is not important, winning the Assembly election is important,” he said.

Baramati MP and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule said, “If someone wants to dream about the chief minister’s post, let them do so. Winning elections is more important.”

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