CM Fadnavis should curb haughty Sena: Ravi Rana

Mumbai: Independent MLA Ravi Rana Monday called Sanjay Raut “Shiv Sena’s parrot” and claimed that there are 25 MLAs from the Sena who are directly in touch with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Mr Rana criticised Mr Raut labeling him the party’s parrot who needs to be reined in.

Mr Rana also stressed that Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray should comprehend that the mandate of the October 21 Assembly polls is in favour of the saffron alliance and not any one party.

“No matter what Mr Raut says, Mr Thackeray should understand that the directive is for the 'Mahayuti' (BJP-Sena alliance) and not any one party. Mr Thackeray should have power over Mr Raut as he is making strong statements.”

The MLA from Badnera, who has already extended support to the BJP, called the Sena “very conceited” and claimed that the Mr Thackeray-led party will split and nearly two dozen MLAs will join the BJP if Mr Fadnavis forms the next government without the BJP’s saffron ally.

Currently, the Sena has 56 MLAs. Mr Rana, along with his wife Navneet Kaur Rana, the independent Lok Sabha member from Amravati, met governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari Monday.

After the meeting, the MLA told reporters, “The Shiv Sena has been very haughty in the last five years. Mr Fadnavis should put a curb on it. In fact, there are some 25 MLAs of the Shiv Sena who are in direct touch with me to form a government.”

“If Mr Fadnavis forms the government without the BJP’s saffron ally, in the next two months, there will be a split in the Sena and those 25 MLAs will follow the BJP party,” he added.

Mr Rana, a local strongman in Badnera and has also won the 2009 and 2014 Assembly polls as an Independent.