"Maharashtra has gained nothing": Sanjay Raut slams Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena after it gets single ministerial berth

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 10 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut hit out at the Eknath Sinhde-led Shiv Sena after the party got a single ministerial berth in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet on Sunday, and said that the state of Maharashtra gained "nothing."
Notably, Prataprao Jadhav was the only Shiv Sena leader who was inducted into the union cabinet. Jadhav was sworn in as Minister for State (Independent charge).
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Sanjay Raut said, "The government is of NDA, not of Modi or BJP. Even Jitam Ram Manjhi's HAM (Hindustan Awam Morcha) has got a Cabinet Minister but they (Shiv Sena) haven't. Ajit Pawar's NCP won only one seat while Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena won seven seats, but still, they gained nothing. Maharashtra has gained nothing. If Shinde had respect, he would have refused the post like Ajit Pawar did."
He also took a potshot at NCP leader Praful Patel after he refused to take the Minister of State with independent charge in the new NDA government.
"Property worth Rs 150 crores has been cleared, what more do they (NCP) want? Why would they want a ministerial post? If they ask for anything, Praful Patel's property will be confiscated again," he added.
Earlier on Sunday, Praful Patel said that accepting the position of Minister of State (MoS) with independent charge in the Union Cabinet would be considered a "demotion" for him, as he earlier served as a Cabinet Minister in the UPA Government.
Notably, a Mumbai court earlier this week quashed an Enforcement Directorate(ED) order seeking the attachment of NCP leader Praful Patel's properties worth over Rs 180 crore, in connection with a money laundering case related to alleged illegal assets of late Iqbal Mirchi, a close aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
Further, taking a jibe at the NDA government, Raut said it would be interesting to see how long will the government run.
"The cabinet has been established, but will be interesting to see how long it lasts. As per my information, the whole situation is jiggling in their hands. Narendra Modi's desire to create a record has been fulfilled. They are just stretching this government. They are not leaders, but rather businessmen...a brand of East India Company of Gujarat whose only motive is to earn money. They will play well with Sensex for 10 days. They don't have to do anything with the nation," Raut added.
Attacking the BJP over the Reasi terror attack that claimed the lives of at least 9, he said that Union Minister Amit Shah was taking oath at the time of the incident, while further alleging that the BJP "doesn't care" about Jammu and Kashmir.
"When terrorists were attacking pilgrims in Reasi...then Amit Shah was taking an oath as a Union Minister. He praised their decision to abrogate Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and claimed peace and stability had been established in the region...but the reality is they (BJP) don't care about Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, and employment. They just want to establish their government and help industrialists and businessmen by looting the public and sharing it with their ministers," he further said.
The suspected terror attack took place in J-K's Reasi district after a vehicle fell into a deep gorge killing at least nine people and leaving over 30 injured.
Raut also slammed the BJP over Jitan Ram being made minister, citing his earlier controversial remarks.
"He (Manjhi) had insulted Ram, he had called him imaginary but he got a place in the cabinet. What could be a bigger insult than this?" the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader added.
On Sunday, President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term.
Along with him, 30 cabinet ministers, 36 Ministers of State, and five Ministers of State (independent charge) from BJP and other parties of NDA were also sworn in. (ANI)