It's no secret that I am Sharad Pawar's man: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday said it is a wellknown fact that he is NCP president Sharad Pawars man and the two share a good bond which helped form the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra in 2019His remarks come a day after Pawar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and raised the issue of the Enforcement Directorate ED attaching the assets of RautThe BJP immediately took a jibe at Raut saying the Rajya Sabha MPs comments show he is closer to Pawar than his own party president and chief minister Uddhav ThackerayOn Tuesday the ED had attached assets worth more than Rs 1115 crore of Rauts wife and two of his associates in a moneylaundering investigation linked to certain land dealsAfter the meeting Pawar told reporters he spoke to the PM about the injustice being done to RautIt is not a hidden fact that I am Sharad Pawars man While I have been in the Shiv Sena my relations with Pawar are close which is why we could form this government The BJP is upset because of this Raut told reporters in response to a questionThe Rajya Sabha MP who is also the executive editor of Sena mouthpiece Saamana is known for his close ties with Pawar despite both of them belonging to political parties which are ideologically apartShiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray too shared good rapport with the former Union agriculture ministerIn 2019 the Shiv Sena broke ties with the BJP and joined hands with its ideological rivals Congress and the NCP to form the MVA government Pawar was a key architect of the threeparty coalitionAttacking BJP leader Kirit Somaiya Raut alleged the former Lok Sabha MP siphoned off money in the name of funds collected to save warship INS Vikrant from getting dismantledCrores were collected by Kirit Somaiya on the pretext of saving INS Vikrant The money was then taken to Somaiyas Neelam Nagar office in Mulund in northeast Mumbai some money was taken to Juhu The money was laundered through the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank the Sena MP saidThe Mumbai Police have registered an FIR to probe allegations against Somaiya who has denied any wrongdoingLaw will take its course This crime the alleged siphoning of funds is equivalent to treason Raut addedMaharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil said it was good that Raut has admitted that he was closer to Pawar than ThackeraySpeaking to reporters in Kolhapur Patil said Sanjay Raut has admitted that he is Sharad Pawars man Good that Raut has admitted he is affiliated more to Pawar than his own party president Uddhav ThackerayThe former minister said Pawar too has exhibited his closelness to Raut as he has not shown same alacrity in taking up the cause of his party colleagues who are in legal troublePawar has also shown his closeness with Raut as he immediately met the Prime Minister after the Sena leaders properties were attached Pawar never exhibited such promptness when his own party colleagues and state cabinet ministers were arrested Patil saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever