Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday alleged that Speakers of the Maharashtra Assembly and the Lok Sabha violated constitutional norms by recognising the rebel groups of party lawmakers. The action is akin to a temple priest looting its donation box and temple trustees cutting its dome atop. Similar things are happening in temples of democracy in the country, Sanjay Raut claimed in his weekly column Rokhthok in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

He alleged the Centre was trying to save the current Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government to "finish off" the Shiv Sena.