With his wife accused in PMC scam, Sanjay Raut could be thrown out of Shiv Sena soon. But he has an NCP Plan B

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut who spends better part of his day making bizarre claims and crass statements, was served the shock of his life after his wife, was issued summons by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the PMC bank scam. The embattled Shiv Sena is already finding it hard to monkey balance its way through the Maha Vikas Aghadi and can hardly afford another Raut manufactured headache. As the noose begins to tighten in the PMC bank scam, Shiv Sena might be compelled to throw Raut out of the party, however, the astute strategist that Raut is, has already prepared for such an eventuality with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP being his fall back option.

The rug was swept underneath the legs of the Raut family as Sanjay Raut’s wife was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection to the PMC bank scam. The scam has dominated the Maharashtra politics for the past few years, with the who’s who of the state’s political circles being under the scanner with the ED having filed a money laundering case against Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar.

It seems that the investigation into the scam is reaching its climax and in the occasion of the ED having substantial proof of wrongdoing against the Raut family, Shiv Sena will have yet another liability in the form of Sanjay Raut who incidentally is also the party’s chief motormouth.

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Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, has no real support base on the ground and often puts the Sena in a spot either with his interviews or his opinion-editorials in Sena’s propaganda outlet, Saamana. His brother, Sunil Raut, a two time MLA, has been ignored by Uddhav Thackeray as he has not inducted him in his council of ministers even during the cabinet expansion earlier in August with Sanjay Raut even skipping the cabinet expansion. While Raut dismissed the news of him being upset over his brother’s rejection, it was reported that Sunil Raut had gone incommunicado for few days after it was confirmed that he was not going to be inducted in the Council of Ministers during the cabinet expansion.

Clearly, Raut doesn’t exercise much influence over the Thackeray family and despite his portrayal, he is not the No. 2 in the party especially when you consider the fact that he has hardly any support on the ground.

If push comes to shove, Uddhav Thackeray might be tempted to expel Raut from Shiv Sena to reduce the party’s baggage which would perhaps bring a premature end to Raut’s political career.

However, given the astute politician that Raut is, he has already prepared for such an eventuality by aggressively courting NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. Anyone who has observed the political happenings in Maharashtra over the past few months would tell you that Raut has spared no stone unturned to court Pawar and jumped at the first opportunity available to praise the former Maharashtra Chief Minister.

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In the latest episode of Raut’s love affair with Pawar, the former wrote about how Pawar should be the UPA Chairperson of a UPA consisting of non aligned parties like YSRCP, TRS and BJD which would pose a formidable challenge to the incumbent BJP-led NDA. Raut thereby tried to be in Pawar’s good books by rekindling his long lost dream of becoming the Prime Minister of India.

If Raut’s comments were to be observed minutely, there are clear indications that he will be open to follow the lead of Pawar into the NCP if situation arises. As both Sharad Pawar and his nephew, Ajit are under the scanner in the PMC bank scam, Pawar will spare no effort to ensure that no punitive action is taken against his family which Raut perhaps hopes would save his family too.