Sanjay Raut slams Amit Shah for ‘keeping PM in dark’

Mumbai: A day after BJP chief Amit Shah claimed that he never promised the CM’s post to the Shiv Sena and pointed out that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared Devendra Fadnavis as the chief ministerial candidate, Sena leader Sanjay Raut hit back Friday saying that Mr Shah had kept even Mr Modi in the dark. Mr Raut claimed that the Sena did not contradict the PM out of respect.

“Had Mr Shah informed Mr Modi about the decision regarding the 50:50 formula in time, we would not have been facing this situation today. I heard Mr Modi saying that Mr Fadnavis will continue as the chief minister of Maharashtra. The Sena could have countered Mr Modi's speeches, but we respected him and the dignity of his high post and hence, kept quiet. Even the Sena had repeatedly said that its CM would take oath,” said Mr Raut.

Alleging that the Mr Modi was kept in the dark about the power-sharing formula, Mr Raut questioned (Mr Shah), “Why did you not inform the PM of the decisions taken behind closed doors? Why did you keep silent till the election results came out before denying the understanding?”

His remarks came a day after Mr Shah blamed the Sena for the collapse of the BJP-Sena alliance in the state.

The home minister said that before the Assembly polls in Maharashtra, both he and Mr Modi publicly said several times that Mr Fadnavis would return as the chief minister for a second term but “no one objected back then. Now, they have come up with new demands which are not acceptable to us,” Mr Shah said in a televised interview.