Day after release, Sanjay Raut ‘praises’ Devendra Fadnavis, says he has no grudges against ED

  ‘Will meet PM Modi and Amit Shah to tell them what I have been through’

A day after he was released on bail, after being arrested for his alleged involvement in the Patra Chawl redevelopment project, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday raised political eyebrows with his ‘praise’ of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Speaking to reporters after his jail term of 103 days, Mr. Raut, normally known for his acerbic and sharp-tongued speech, showed signs of mellowing when he said that Mr. Fadnavis had taken some good decisions after forming the new government.

“I will not criticise anyone, neither the Enforcement Directorate (ED) nor anybody else who hatched this conspiracy against me. I bear no grudges against anyone nor will I blame any central agency. But this kind of vendetta politics has not been witnessed before,” said the Thackeray camp loyalist and Rajya Sabha MP.

Mr. Raut further said he would meet PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi to convey what he had faced in prison in the past 100 days.

“I will tell them what happened with me. Just because I am meeting someone does not mean I have taken a soft stance,” he clarified, hinting that his fight against the BJP over issues would continue.

The MP said he welcomed Mr. Fadnavis’ stance on calling for an end to the ongoing political bitterness in Maharashtra and said he would be meeting the Deputy CM soon to talk about certain matters of the State.

“In Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis has taken some good decisions, importantly regarding housing for poor, giving more authority to the MHADA which our government had taken away. We will not oppose just for the sake of opposing,” he said.