Sat Jan 11 06:28:05 UTC 2025: **Shiv Sena (UBT) to Contest Local Body Elections Independently**
Nagpur, January 11, 2025 – Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut announced today that the party will contest upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra independently. Raut cited the lack of opportunities for individual party workers within alliances as the reason for the decision, stating that alliances hinder organizational growth. He indicated that party chief Uddhav Thackeray supports this solo approach.
The announcement comes amidst criticism of the INDIA bloc, which Raut claims has been inactive since the Lok Sabha elections, failing even to appoint a convenor. He blamed the Congress, as the largest party in the alliance, for this inaction. He further criticized Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar for assigning blame following the MVA’s defeat in the state assembly elections, stating that those unwilling to compromise have no place in an alliance.
Raut also addressed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s denial of promises on farm loan waivers, asserting that these waivers, along with the ₹2,100 Laadki Bahin benefit, are included in the BJP’s manifesto and must be implemented by Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio.
In a final, noteworthy comment, Raut referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent admission of fallibility, stating that he considers Modi to be “god,” not human, and questioned the Prime Minister’s self-assessment.
First Piper 