Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut says Sharad Pawar should not have felicitated Eknath Shinde

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The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday expressed strong disapproval of its ally and NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar felicitating Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde at an event in Delhi, PTI reported.

Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut claimed that it was Shinde who split the Shiv Sena with the help of Amit Shah and felicitating him was similar to honouring the BJP leader.

Shinde on Tuesday was honoured with the Mahadji Shinde Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar at the hands of Pawar and in the presence of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on the occasion of the 98th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, PTI reported.

Sharad Pawar heads the reception committee of the literary meeting, scheduled to start next week.

Raut said that Pawar should not have attended the event, as Shinde toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led government of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress in Maharashtra in 2022 by resorting to "betrayal", PTI reported.

"Certain things should be avoided in politics. Yesterday, Sharad Pawar did not felicitate Shinde, but he felicitated Amit Shah. This is our feeling," said the Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member, speaking to reporters in Delhi.

"Giving such an honour to someone we consider an enemy of Maharashtra is a jolt to Maharashtra's pride. Pawar must have thought differently, but such politics has not gone down well with the people of Maharashtra," Raut said, PTI reported.

"You (Sharad Pawar) are a senior politician, and we respect you. But the ones who split Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena with the help of Amit Shah and weakened Maharashtra, you are honouring such people. This has hurt the sentiments of Marathi people," he said.

"We don't understand your Delhi politics, but we too understand politics," Raut further said, PTI cited.

When asked for a reaction, NCP (SP) MP Amol Kolhe said that Raut could be voicing his personal opinion. The event in Delhi was part of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, he pointed out.

"He showed statesmanship, where one does not bring politics into everything. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. He is the president of the event (reception committee)," Kolhe added, PTI reported.

(With PTI inputs)