Why Shiv Sena corporators shifted to hotel; who's afraid of whom? asks Raut
Mumbai (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday questioned the shifting of corporators-elect from ruling ally Shiv Sena to hotels, asserting that no party could easily stake claim to the BMC mayor’s post, going by the mandate in the recent civic polls.
In the recently concluded civic polls, the alliance of the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won a clear majority in the 227-member BMC, securing 89 and 29 seats, respectively. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) won 65 seats, while its ally MNS emerged victorious on six.
The Shiv Sena has shifted its 29 members to a hotel in Mumbai, ostensibly for an orientation workshop to make them aware of the functioning of the country's richest civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The move followed the declaration of the BMC poll results, which showed that the seats won by Shiv Sena are crucial for the BJP, to draw up its strategy to get Mahayuti's mayor installed.
"Shinde has already shifted his corporators to a five-star hotel and, as per my information, the BJP is also planning to move its corporators to a safer place. Who is afraid of whom? You are the government. The chief minister is watching corporators being shifted while attending the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos (Switzerland). It is amusing," Raut told reporters.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks that the BJP had defeated the Congress in the city where the party was born, Raut said the PM appeared to have ignored history, pointing out that the (then undivided) Shiv Sena controlled the BMC for the last 25 years while the Congress had remained largely marginal in Mumbai politics.
The Rajya Sabha member also recalled that the Congress was founded in Mumbai and the Quit India movement had been launched from the city during the freedom struggle, asserting the BJP did not exist during those crucial phases of India's political history.
Asked whether the Shiv Sena (UBT) had decided to sit in the Opposition in the BMC, Raut said no such decision was taken and the party was merely watching the unfolding political developments.
"We are enjoying the developments," he quipped.
In a sarcastic swipe, Raut remarked that the grand welcome accorded to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Switzerland -- following the party’s performance in the BMC and other civic polls -- made it seem as though he was on his way to becoming prime minister. The Sena (UBT) leader, however, added that he would take pride if a Marathi leader were to hold the post someday.
Raut also dismissed speculation about Fadnavis holding talks with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.
He further alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was attempting to engineer a split among BJP corporators in the neighbouring Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (in Thane district) and could try a similar move in Mumbai.
Shinde had earlier split the Shiv Sena with the support of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he charged.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Unnao rape: Delhi HC dismisses Sengar's plea to suspend sentence in death case of survivor's father
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to suspend the 10-year sentence awarded to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the case of the death of the Unnao rape survivor's father while in custody.
"No grounds are made out for grant relief. The application seeking suspension of sentence is dismissed," said Justice Ravinder Dudeja.
The judge observed that although Sengar had suffered a long incarceration, relief could not be given on grounds of delay, as it was partly because he filed multiple applications in his appeal against his conviction.
"Purpose would be served if the appeal is heard expeditiously," added the court while listing the matter for hearing on February 3.
On March 13, 2020, Sengar was sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment by a trial court, besides imposition of a fine of Rs 10 lakh, in the case of the death of the survivor's father in custody.
The trial court had said that "no leniency" could be shown for killing a family's "sole bread earner".
It had also awarded a 10-year jail term to Sengar's brother, Atul Singh Sengar, and five others for their role in the custodial killing of the rape survivor's father.
The father of the survivor was arrested at the behest of Sengar under the Arms Act and died in custody on April 9, 2018, owing to police brutalities.
Sengar had kidnapped the minor and raped her in 2017.
The trial court, which did not hold the accused guilty of murder under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the father's case, awarded the maximum sentence for the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder to convicts under Section 304 of the IPC after holding that there was no intention to kill.
Sengar's appeals in the main rape case against the December 2019 judgement convicting him and sentencing him to imprisonment for the remainder of his life, as well as the father's case, are pending in the high court.
His sentence was suspended by the high court on December 23, 2025, till the pendency of his appeal challenging his conviction and sentence in the rape case.
The suspension was stayed by the Supreme Court on December 29, 2025.
