Sena (UBT) never called for disbanding INDIA bloc or MVA, says Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said his party wants to go solo in the local bodies polls to strengthen its base and has never called for the dissolution of the opposition INDIA bloc or the Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA reported news agency PTIRauts remarks came a day after he cited the lack of opportunities for workers of respective parties in an alliance and the right to organisational growth as the major considerations for contesting solo which raised a question mark over the opposition blocs unitySpeaking to reporters on Sunday Raut said The Maha Vikas Aghadi was formed for the assembly polls and INDIA bloc for the Lok Sabha elections The local body elections are meant to empower party workers and strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level reported PTII or my party have never said that the INDIA bloc or the Maha Vikas Aghadi should be dissolved the Rajya Sabha member added reported PTIThe INDIA bloc and MVA alliances include the Uddhav Thackerayled Shiv Sena UBT Congress and Sharad Pawars NCP SPAsked about the Congress leaders criticising him over comments regarding plans to go alone in the polls Raut said the grand old partys members should listen to his full comments before reactingThe Congress leaders should have the habit of listening to others he said reported PTIRaut said the Shiv Sena UBT wants to ensure its flaming torch poll symbol reaches voters at the grassroots levelThe MVA allies should now work at the booth level to strengthen its parties and their workers he saidWe have time as there are fourandahalf years for the next Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections the Sena UBT leader said reported PTIAsked about NCP SP head Sharad Pawars discussion with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on bringing peace in Beed and Parbhani Raut said Maharashtra is stunned after the assembly poll resultsPeace cannot come by giving protection to the killers of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh and Somnath Suryavanshi he said reported PTIThe brutal murder of Santosh Deshmukh the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district on December 9 has triggered a slugfest between the ruling and opposition parties as one of the persons held in a related extortion case is a close associate of state minister Dhananjay MundeThe incident has led to widespread protests in the state and also given rise to fears of a caste conflict since Deshmukh was a Maratha and some of those held hail from the Vanjari communitySomnath Suryavanshi who was arrested following violence in Parbhani on December 10 after a replica of the Constitution was vandalised died on December 15 after he was rushed to a hospital from jail following a sudden illnessThe ruling Mahayuti alliance of BJP Shiv Sena and NCP won 230 of the states 288 seats in the November 2024 assembly polls shrinking MVAs tally to 46 seats with Sena UBT Congress and NCP SP each contributing 20 16 and 10 seats respectivelyWith inputs from PTI