Sanjay Raut dares rebel Shiv Sena MPs, blames Supreme Court too for split fallout

NDTV reports that Sanjay Raut, the firebrand spokesperson of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), has publicly dared the rebel MPs who defected to the Eknath Shinde camp, asserting they will face accountability. More controversially, Raut also directed criticism at the Supreme Court, suggesting it bears some blame for the political outcome of the Shiv Sena split.

The Shiv Sena split in 2022 saw Eknath Shinde lead a rebellion that toppled the Uddhav Thackeray government. The Supreme Court subsequently delivered a nuanced verdict that did not restore Thackeray to power but raised questions about the legitimacy of the defection. Disqualification proceedings against rebel MLAs and MPs have remained pending, keeping the legal dispute alive.

Raut's remarks are significant because publicly blaming the Supreme Court for a political outcome is unusual for mainstream politicians and is likely to generate controversy. For Maharashtra voters, it underscores that the bitter rivalry between the two Shiv Sena factions is far from over and will remain a defining fault line in the state's politics.