Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut launched a fresh salvo at ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that the ruling party is not the sole owner of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and that parties like Shiv Sena and Akali Dal have equal rights in the coalition.
In an interview to The Indian Express, Raut said that Sena was one of the founding parties of the NDA and it does not have double standards when it comes to pointing out unfulfilled promises of the BJP.
Firstly, BJP is not the owner of the NDA, which is of many parties. And we are founder members of the NDA. We have an equal right, like the BJP, on the NDA. When the NDA was formed, the four major parties were Shiv Sena, BJP, Samata Paksh which later became JD(U), and Akali Dal. That’s why the Sena has a right on the NDA. This is not the case with TDP which has been in and out of the NDA.Sanjay Raut, as quoted by The Indian Express
On being questioned about differences within the Sena over not having a pre-poll alliance with the BJP in 2019, Raut said that the party stands by the decision taken by chief Uddhav Thackeray.
In 2014, the BJP broke the alliance and not the Sena. BJP was a big brother at the national level and Sena was at the state level. We didn’t break this relationship. Then, there was a Modi wave that went to their head. They didn’t see their friends, broke the alliance and got success. In 2019, they can’t see the same success. That’s why they need the Sena. But Sena can’t be taken for granted. We will contest solo and won’t go with anyone.Sanjay Raut, as quoted by The Indian Express
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