Rs 2,000 crore changed hands for Shiv Sena symbol, alleges Sanjay Raut

Raut told media that the Rs 2,000 crore is 'just the first information report'

In a sensational charge, Uddhav Thackeray-group’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut alleged that Rs 2,000 crore changed hands for securing the political party name “Shiv Sena” and the “bow and arrow” symbol - a couple of days after the Election Commission allotted it to the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

However, the Shinde-led faction of Shiv Sena and BJP has rejected the charges lashing out at Raut for his comments.

Addressing a function in Pune along with Union Home and Cooperation Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the occasion 'Shiv Jayanti', Shinde said: “It was with the blessings of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that we got the dhanushya-baan (bow and arrow symbol.”

Also read | EC order on Sena an extension of BJP's 'Operation Lotus': AAP

Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, on Sunday, sent out two Twitter posts - in Marathi and Hindi - and repeated the charge during a media interaction in Mumbai on Sunday.

In the tweet, he also tagged the Prime Minister's Office and the Election Commission of India.

“I am certain. To get the party name and election symbol, so far Rs 2,000 crore has changed hands. This is the initial figure and 100 per cent true. Very soon, there will be more revelations. Such a thing has never happened in the country,” Raut said in the post on the micro-blogging site.

Later, Raut told newspersons that the Rs 2,000 crore is “just the first information report."

“I say this with full responsibility and information. Rs 50 lakh for corporators, Rs 50 crore for MLAs, and Rs 100 crore for MPs. You can imagine what would have been spent on the name and symbol, Rs 2,000 crore,” Raut alleged.

The journalist-politician Raut claimed that the information had come from a “builder close to them”.

“From Delhi to gully there is charcha over it,” he said.

The BJP and the Shinde camp fired back and hit out at Raut for the allegations.

“Is Sanjay Raut a cashier,” asked veteran leader and Shinde-camp MLA Sada Sarvankar.

Shinde-group leader and MLA Sanjay Shirsat said: “Does Uddhav ji agree with what he has said? Maharashtra is laughing because of his statement. How can Uddhav ji tolerate him? He started with pannas khokhe (fifty crores) and has now reached Rs 2,000 crore.”

Senior BJP leader and minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said that these are baseless allegations. “Supreme Court and Election Commission are institutions,” he said, pointing out that Raut was defaming institutions.

Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar claimed people making such comments have “either lost senses or gone mad.”