Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday took a jibe at the ruling Mahayuti alliance over their leaders' meeting with Amit Shah in Delhi. Raut said that a 3-murti temple should be formed with EVM in the middle.
"A '3-murti' temple should be formed, in the middle EVM, on one side PM and the other side Amit Shah," Raut said. He added that Devendra Fadnavis, who was previously the CM, became a deputy to Eknath Shinde, on the insistence of the BJP high command.
Further attacking Ajit Pawar, he said: "He was always deputy CM and he will keep becoming deputy CM only. The brightness of his face which had disappeared after Lok Sabha polls, has now returned, it is the wonder of EVMs."
He further said that all the things related to Maharashtra will now be decided in Delhi, adding there is no self-respect left in Maharashtra politics.
He added that despite having their own parties, Maharashtra's caretaker CM Eknath Shinde and outgoing deputy CM Ajit Pawar will have to come to Delhi repeatedly to put forward their issues since their high command is here.
This, however, is not the first time that Raut has raised doubts over the EVMs.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) MP questioned the Mahayuti's landslide win in the recently-held Maharashtra assembly elections in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Raut said in his post, "The country will never forgive those who stole people's mandate. Wait and watch what happens next." He also shared a poster which read: "Jiska EVM, uski democracy."
Moreover, he questioned the Mahayuti over the delay in announcing a chief minister and forming the government. Slamming caretaker CM Eknath Shinde, he said it is unfortunate that he does politics in Balasaheb Thackeray's name but the future of his party is decided in Delhi.
He added that the future of Bal Thackeray's Shiv Sena was never decided in Delhi but in Mumbai.
In the November 20 assembly polls, the ruling Mahayuti registered a resounding victory and retained power in Maharashtra, pocketing a whopping 230 of the 288 assembly seats.
The BJP won 132 seats, the Shiv Sena 57 and the NCP got 41 seats.
In the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the Shiv Sena (UBT) won 20 seats, the Congress 16 and the NCP (SP) candidates won 10 seats.