Shiv Sena (UBT) to go it alone in local bodies polls, says Sanjay Raut
Nagpur, Jan 11: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said his party will contest the upcoming elections to the various local bodies alone.
Talking to reporters, the Rajya Sabha MP said the INDIA bloc and Maha Vikas Aghadi alliances were for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls.
"In an alliance, workers of individual parties don't get opportunities, and it hampers organisational growth. We will contest polls to the Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur and other municipal corporations, zilla parishads and panchayats on our strength," he said.
He said party chief Uddhav Thackeray gave the party indications that it should go alone.
Hitting out at Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar for indulging in a blame game over the MVA's defeat in the state assembly, Raut said those who don't believe in consensus and compromise have no right to be in an alliance.
He further claimed that the INDIA bloc did not hold a single meeting after the Lok Sabha elections.
"We were not able to appoint even a convenor for INDIA bloc. It isn't good. As the largest party of the alliance, it was the Congress's responsibility to convene a meeting," the Sena (UBT) leader said.
Reacting to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's remark that he has never mentioned farm loan waivers in his speeches, Raut said, "Even if he hasn't spoken about it. Farm loan waiver and Rs 2,100 for Laadki Bahin beneficiaries are mentioned in the BJP's poll manifesto. These two promises have to be implemented. He is the finance minister in the BJP government, and he will have to do it."
To a query on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks during his first podcast that he is human and can make mistakes, Raut said, "He (Modi) is god. I don't consider him a human. God is god. If someone declares him an incarnation of god, how can he be a human? He is the 13th avatar of Vishnu. If someone who has been considered god says he is human, something is wrong. There is chemical 'locha'."
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Sri Lanka beats New Zealand by 140 runs in the 3rd ODI but New Zealand wins series 2-1
Auckland, Jan 11: Asitha Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana shared six wickets as Sri Lanka bowled out New Zealand for 150 runs in 29.4 overs to win the third one-day international by 140 runs here Saturday.
Fernando took 3-26 and Theekshana 3-35 to jointly knock the top off the New Zealand innings as it chased 291 for victory. Eshan Fernando also contributed 3-35 as Sri Lanka completed a comprehensive victory.
New Zealand won the three-match series 2-1 in its last matches at home before the ICC Champions Trophy begins in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates next month.
Earlier, Pathum Nissanka made 66 in an innings of two parts as Sri Lanka compiled 290-8 after choosing to bat first. New Zealand then slumped to 21-5 inside seven overs as Fernando helped Sri Lanka unpick the New Zealand top order.
“It's a huge confidence boost for me and for the team as well because we haven't played well in the first two games. It's a pleasure to play like this,” Fernando said.
“We identified a few areas to be improved (after the first two games). Now we are going straight back to work to continue improving day by day.”
Mark Chapman was the only New Zealand batter to stand against the chaos, making 81 at a run a ball. Chapman's 51-run partnership with Nathan Smith (17) for the eighth wicket was New Zealand's hope of making a game of it. The run rate never got away from New Zealand but it lost too many wickets early to seriously challenge Sri Lanka's total.
Nissanka reached 50 from 31 balls but almost immediately fell to the ground in pain from an apparent groin or hip strain.
He tried to bat on but was clearly impaired while running between wickets and was 50 not out when he was summoned from the field by Sri Lanka coach Sanith Jayasuriya to receive medical treatment.
Matt Henry took 4-55 for New Zealand.
