Sanjay Raut – the man they call the Shiv Sena's 'negotiator'. The man who has kept the 'Moden pan, vaaknar nahi...' or the 'would rather break than bend' image of the Sena intact.
In the past few days, during the deadlock over government formation in Maharashtra, you might have expected Uddhav Thackeray to make statements over the party's stand on the issue. But it's Sanjay Raut all over the media – holding meetings with Sharad Pawar, greeting the governor, reiterating the power share demand, and being the voice of 'Matoshree' that can be heard from Delhi.
A three-time Rajya Sabha MP, political pandits don’t necessarily see Raut as the “people’s leader”. So, what makes Raut the Shiv Sena’s face in the ongoing power tussle with the BJP?
Proximity with Uddhav
Uddhav's spokesperson, his right-hand man, Raut's editorials speak Uddhav's language. These are the kind of comments that have often been made about Sanjay Raut. And why not? He is often seen appearing on behalf of Uddhav in front of the media.
In the past few days, Raut even met Pawar and Governor Koshiyari on behalf of Uddhav. While his fierce editorials have targeted the BJP in the past few days and over the past five years, the BJP has often asked the Sena to keep Raut in check.
As someone considered very close to Uddhav, the Sena leadership is often accused of giving a free hand to Raut in party politics as well as ‘Saamana’ editorials.
Raut’s Pen=Balasaheb’s Sword
Raut's father was a staunch Shiv Sena supporter and the representative the Sena's union in a Mumbai-based company. It was through his father's association with Balasaheb that a young Sanjay was introduced to the party. As a student, he started writing for 'Marmik', which was the Sena's mouthpiece until 'Saamana' was launched.
That's how Balasaheb was introduced to Raut's writing prowess. Balasaheb then recommended him for jobs at 'The Indian Express' and the Marathi weekly called 'Lokprabha'. He was made the executive editor of 'Saamana' soon after.
If reports are to be believed, many of the pieces penned by Raut have been published by the 'Saamana' under Balasaheb's byline.
From 'Lokprabha' to Lokneeti
Sanjay Raut's 'Saamana' editorials are considered the party's stand. Raut is credited for taking 'Saamana' from a limited readership in the 90s to becoming a daily that makes national headlines today.
Since the election results, with editorial lines like 'Uddhav has the remote to Maharashtra's power' and 'Shiv Sena has the key to Maharashtra's politics', Raut is upping the ante against the BJP day after day.
Raut has largely been credited with keeping the ‘Balasaheb-style’ of editorials intact for years and that reflects even on social media. ‘Bura na mano Diwali hai’, ‘Sirf hungama khada karna mera maksad nahi’ — his Twitter handle in the past 10 days has seen nothing but taunts, veiled attacks and hints about the ongoing power tussle.
Political Flexibility
The Shiv Sena and Raut have praised Sharad Pawar quite often in 'Saamana'. Even his recent meeting with Pawar for a possible alliance with the Sena was seen as the party strategising for a pact. Moreover, Raut has always been one of the Shiv Sainiks who has carefully assessed and identified the risks of the BJP being the superior ally.
Raut’s closeness with Pawar and attacks on the BJP are being interpreted as the possibility of an alliance between the Sena and NCP. But that also makes him the Sena’s top negotiator when it comes to muscle-flexing against the BJP.
It is Raut's flexibility, political understanding and his capability to shape himself according to the changing times has made him what he is today, both within the party and across the state. Raut is often seen taking a stand on an issue publicly that might not necessarily resonate with Uddhav's. To give you some trivia, it was Raut who drafted Raj Thackeray's resignation letter from the Shiv Sena back in 2005.
From a journalist to a Rajya Sabha MP, Raut's political astuteness, coupled with his proximity with both Balasaheb and Uddhav, has him brokering deals for one of Maharashtra's most prominent parties today.
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