Ex-CJI Chandrachud removed fear of law from political defectors, claims Raut

Sanjay Raut blames former CJI Chandrachud for Maharashtra election results, criticizes delay in disqualification petitions, and predicts Gujarat influence on CM.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday slammed former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, alleging that he had removed the fear of the law from politicians who defected from parties in Maharashtra.

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Mr. Raut claimed that by not deciding on the disqualification petitions, Chandrachud kept doors and windows open for defections.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader's statement comes after his party faced a severe drubbing in the state assembly elections, as it managed to clinch only 20 out of 95 seats it contested as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

The performance of the party's alliance partners was no better, with the Congress winning only 16 out of 101 seats and NCP (SP) getting only 10 out of 86 seats it contested.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Raut alleged, "He (Chandrachud) has removed the fear of the law from defectors. His name will be written in black letters in history." Following the split in the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022, the party's faction headed by Uddhav Thackeray filed petitions in the Supreme Court on the disqualification of party MLAs who defected along with Eknath Shinde. The apex court put the onus on the assembly Speaker to decide on the disqualification petitions, which he did earlier this year, declaring the Sena bloc led by Shinde as the “real political party”.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut blamed former Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud for Maharashtra Assembly election 2024 results. “If he would have given a timely verdict in disqualification petition of Shiv Sena (UBT), the scenario in Maharashtra would have been different. History will never forgive him.”