Sitting in the cabin of traitor: Sanjay Raut targets Sharad Pawar over Shinde meet

An unexpected meeting between NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at the Vidhan Bhavan has triggered a major political storm within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), exposing sharp differences among the alliance partners.

Pawar's camp described the meeting as a coincidence that took place after a high-level meeting on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute. However, the interaction has drawn strong reactions, particularly from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), while Congress has attempted to downplay the controversy.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut launched a scathing attack on Sharad Pawar over the meeting, expressing resentment that the veteran leader chose to sit in the cabin of a "traitor" who, according to him, brought down the previous MVA government.

Raut argued that such actions damage the credibility of Pawar's party and questioned why an internal discussion needed to take place in Eknath Shinde's office when several other venues were available. He further said that honouring those who defected weakens the opposition's legal battle against political betrayal.

Backing Raut's criticism, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray shifted the political focus towards Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He suggested that the Pawar-Shinde meeting would directly affect Fadnavis's political ambitions and reiterated his claim that this would be Fadnavis's final legislative session in Maharashtra. Aaditya also claimed that the BJP's central leadership would soon move Fadnavis to Delhi.

Unlike its MVA allies, the Congress adopted a cautious stance. Congress leader Nana Patole urged people not to attach political significance to the meeting, saying Maharashtra has a long-standing political culture in which leaders from different parties meet and interact. He insisted that the interaction should not receive an alternative political interpretation.

Responding to the criticism, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde defended the meeting, calling it a reflection of Maharashtra's political culture. He said welcoming a senior leader like Sharad Pawar to his office was a matter of basic respect.

Taking a sarcastic swipe at Sanjay Raut, Shinde said those suffering from "stomach aches" or losing their mental peace over the meeting could visit the government's 'Aapla Dawakhana' clinics operating across Mumbai and Thane for treatment. He dismissed the criticism as petty and said he chooses to completely ignore such remarks.

Defending Pawar, NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad also hit back at Raut. In a sarcastic remark, Awhad called Raut a "great leader" who believes he has the authority to criticise even Sharad Pawar. He maintained that the 15-minute interaction between Pawar and Shinde was purely coincidental and carried no hidden political agenda.

The contrasting reactions from Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, NCP (SP), and Eknath Shinde have brought the internal fault lines within the Maha Vikas Aghadi into sharp focus, with the controversy over the Pawar-Shinde meeting exposing fresh strains among the opposition alliance partners.

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