New Delhi: News emerging from Maharashtra has sparked a round of speculation in political circles. This claim has been made by the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, a party opposed to the BJP. On Friday, Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) leader Sanjay Raut claimed that if a cabinet expansion or reshuffle takes place at the Centre in the coming one or two months, a major shift could be witnessed in Maharashtra’s politics.
He further claimed that Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis could be entrusted with a major responsibility in the central government, while a senior BJP minister from the state could be appointed as the Chief Minister. There has been no reaction from the BJP regarding this claim so far.
Sanjay Raut Makes a Major Statement
Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) leader Sanjay Raut made this significant claim while speaking to the media in Nagpur. When asked about potential cabinet changes at the Centre and in Maharashtra, he stated that any change at the Centre would inevitably impact the power dynamics in Maharashtra.
Raut, who had arrived in Nagpur to review preparations for the ‘Ram Raksha Andolan’ (Ram Protection Movement), said that if a reshuffle occurs at the Centre, Devendra Fadnavis might move to serve the nation at the national level. He added that a senior BJP minister from Maharashtra could then take the oath as Chief Minister. However, he did not provide any concrete basis or specific names regarding this possibility.
When Will the ‘Ram Raksha Andolan’ Begin?
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also shared details about the ‘Ram Raksha Andolan’ scheduled to take place in Nagpur. The movement is set to begin in Nagpur on July 18. He stated that the agitation is being organised to protest against alleged irregularities in the offerings made by devotees and the misuse of funds at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Invitations for this movement have been sent to all Hindutva organisations, including the RSS. Sanjay Raut mentioned that they had requested RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to send a representative if he was unable to attend personally.
Additionally, invitations to participate have been extended to leaders from various political parties, including the BJP, as well as local MLAs. According to Raut, a large number of Ram devotees and Shiv Sena (UBT) workers from all 11 districts of the Vidarbha region will participate in this movement. Sanjay Raut described the movement as being linked to the faith of Ram devotees and a demand for transparency.
Kharge demands an all-party meeting
The Monsoon Session of Parliament is set to begin on July 20, 2026. Sanjay Raut also responded to the letter written by Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge to PM Narendra Modi. Kharge has demanded that an all-party meeting be convened regarding the issue of delimitation before the parliamentary session commences. Sanjay Raut stated that they fully agree with Kharge’s position. He indicated that a broad political consensus should be reached on a crucial subject like delimitation.
