Sanjay Raut posts gun photo, vows to fight 'traitors' of Maharashtra

Following the defection of six party MPs to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, UBT leader Sanjay Raut posted a photo with a gun on X, vowing to 'fight against traitors of Maharashtra' and questioning alleged financial inducements.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday called for a "fight against traitors of Maharashtra" after six party MPs switched to the Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Sharing a picture of himself holding a gun, Sanjay Raut wrote on X, "Na thake kabhi pair, Na kabhi himmat haari hai. Ladna hai Maharashtra ke gaddaron ke khilaaf, Hausla hai buland, Safar jaari hai! Jai Maharashtra, Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji! (Never have the feet ever tired, Never has courage ever been lost.. We must fight against the traitors of Maharashtra, the spirit is soaring high, the journey continues! Jai Maharashtra Jai Bhavani Jai Shivaji!)." ना थके कभी पैर ना कभी हिम्मत हारी है.. लडना है महाराष्ट्र के गद्दारो के खिलाफ होंसला है बुलंद सफर जारी है! जय महाराष्ट्र जय भवानी जय शिवाजी! pic.twitter.com/kyVK2Fl9Dt — Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) June 24, 2026

6 Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Join Eknath Shinde Faction

This comes after six Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs -- Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Omprakash Bhupalsingh Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh and Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar -- formally joined the Eknath Shinde faction on Monday, leading to the success of "Operation Tiger."

On Wednesday, in a post on X, Raut questioned allegations of financial inducements. "85 crores! The price of this Member of Parliament! Loot the public's wealth! Who is paying lakhs of rupees for the charter plane?" he wrote.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray, meanwhile, intensified his attacks on Eknath Shinde, whom he repeatedly referred to as "Fakenath Minde."

Shinde Camp Hits Back, Blames Raut for Downfall

While the defecting MPs have stated a fund crunch as the reason behind switching to the ruling camp, Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske has accused Sanjay Raut of the party's downfall. Mhaske said, "It is the result of Eknath Shinde's hard work and the people's faith in his leadership. The party is moving forward under his guidance, and that very trust is drawing people to us...Six MPs have already joined, and the remaining will also come over to us. I say this with full confidence because of the decline of the UBT faction."

"Sanjay Raut is trying to take control of the party. Party workers, office bearers, and public representatives are frustrated by this kind of behaviour. His mental state has deteriorated. Given the party's decline and considering that elected representatives reach their positions through hard work, if they receive no support from the party, they will naturally seek a different path." (ANI)

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