Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday alleged that a section of rebel party MPs planning to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are divided over who would be inducted as a Union minister, claiming a financial “settlement” has been worked out for those who do not get ministerial berths.
Raut said that among the six rebel MPs, only one is likely to be accommodated in the Union Cabinet, while the remaining members have allegedly been promised an additional Rs 25 crore each as part of the arrangement.
“There are clashes in the rebel group over who will become minister at the Centre. Only one among the six can become minister, so a settlement has been made that the rest will be given an additional Rs 25 crore,” he claimed while speaking to reporters.
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The six MPs, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar, were absent from a recent Shiv Sena (UBT) parliamentary party meeting, signalling a deepening split with the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction.
Raut also criticised the Maharashtra government for providing Y-plus security to the rebel MPs, questioning the use of public funds for their protection. He challenged them to return to the electorate for a fresh mandate.
The rebel MPs are reportedly set to align with the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, further widening the political rift within the party.
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