A meeting inside the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan has sparked fresh tensions within the opposition alliance. Sanjay Raut has openly questioned Sharad Pawar’s political decision.
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A fresh political controversy has erupted in Maharashtra after Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar held a party meeting inside Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s chamber at the Vidhan Bhavan. The move has drawn sharp criticism from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who said senior leaders should not give political legitimacy to those he described as “traitors.”
Raut’s remarks have once again exposed differences within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the alliance comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and Congress.
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Speaking at a press conference, Sanjay Raut strongly objected to Sharad Pawar’s decision to conduct a party meeting in Eknath Shinde’s office. According to him, leaders with a strong political legacy should avoid actions that could be seen as honouring those responsible for breaking elected governments.
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Raut said Sharad Pawar remains one of the country’s tallest political leaders and commands immense respect. However, he argued that holding a meeting in the office of a leader whom his party considers responsible for bringing down the previous Maharashtra government weakens that image.
He alleged that Eknath Shinde had “plagued Maharashtra with treachery and corruption” and questioned why Pawar selected Shinde’s chamber when several other venues were available.
Raut pointed out that the Vidhan Bhavan has multiple meeting spaces and also mentioned the YB Chavan Pratisthan as another suitable location. He added that many loyal workers of Shiv Sena (UBT) were deeply upset by the decision.
Raut made it clear that his party would never organise any political meeting inside the office of a leader it considers a betrayer.
He said Shiv Sena (UBT) does not believe in making such political compromises. Referring to Sharad Pawar’s approach, Raut remarked that those with a “large heart” may choose differently, but his party would never accept such a move.
He further claimed that gestures like these reduce the credibility of the NCP (SP) in the eyes of the public and send the wrong political message.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said the issue had caused disappointment across the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. He argued that all alliance partners should follow certain political principles while dealing with leaders who switched sides.
To underline his point, Raut said that if he were in Sharad Pawar’s position, he would never have held a meeting inside the chamber of Ajit Pawar either.
He said Ajit Pawar’s rebellion against Sharad Pawar should have been remembered while making such decisions. According to Raut, maintaining political decorum is important for every constituent of the alliance.
Raut also questioned the purpose and outcome of Wednesday’s high-level meeting held at the Vidhan Bhavan, which was reportedly called to discuss the long-pending Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute.
He said there was little clarity about what had actually been discussed during the meeting. Raut asked whether all major political leaders of Maharashtra had been invited and noted that Shiv Sena (UBT) is one of the key parties involved in the border dispute movement.
He said the issue has remained unresolved for decades and wanted answers on what decisions, if any, were taken during the discussions. He also asked when the next meeting on the matter would be held.
According to Raut, the lack of information surrounding the meeting has only increased concerns among opposition parties.
Continuing his criticism, Raut accused Sharad Pawar of giving political respect to leaders who had deserted their original parties.
He warned that if senior leaders continue to honour such politicians, they lose the moral authority to criticise defections within their own organisations.
Drawing a comparison with Ajit Pawar’s split from the NCP, Raut questioned why Sharad Pawar had challenged that defection in court while appearing willing to engage politically with Eknath Shinde.
He said Shiv Sena (UBT) has consistently fought against Shinde after the split in the Shiv Sena and questioned why the NCP (SP) chief was now extending political legitimacy to him.
Raut said this contradiction had deeply hurt his party and its workers.
Despite his strong criticism, Raut clarified that his comments were directed only at the political decision and not at Sharad Pawar personally.
He said he shares a warm and affectionate relationship with the veteran leader and continues to respect him. However, he stressed that he must stand by his party’s position on issues involving political defections.
Raut said veteran politicians should avoid actions that appear to honour those who have broken away from their parties because such moves can damage the state’s political culture.
He added that while he is free to speak with Sharad Pawar at any time on a personal level, Shiv Sena (UBT) views this matter as a serious political issue.
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