Union MoS Karad says don't take Sanjay Raut's words seriously

Gandhinagar, June 21

Union Minister of State for Finance and BJP MP from Maharashtra, Bhagwat Karad has suggested not to take Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's words seriously as no one takes him seriously in Maharashtra.

Karad was in Ahmedabad in Gujarat to attend Yoga Day celebrations and later in the day he also addressed media persons where he refuted Raut's allegation that the Gujarat police beat the Shiv Sena's two MLAs.

Karad questioned why would the Gujarat police beat Shiv Sena MLAs in Surat.

He said, "Cross voting in the Rajya Sabha polls and the MLC elections itself states that Shiv Sena MLAs are dissatisfied with the party leaders and style of functioning and compromising with its ideology. Even the people are unhappy with the Maha Vikas Aghadi government because it failed to deliver service to

society and the state."

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had alleged in Mumbai that Shiv Sena MLAs were abducted to Surat, four to five of them have approached him and requested him to bail them out. He also alleged that the Gujarat police has beaten MLA Nitin Deshmukh, because of which he suffered a heart attack and has been hospitalised.

Karad said he has no idea about flying BJP MLAs to Gujarat, it is the party that decides about protecting BJP MLAs in Maharashtra.

Party sources said that the BJP high command is planning to depute Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav to keep its house in order and see that no poaching takes place.

Sources also said that along with 106 BJP MLAs, four Congress MLAs may be brought to Ahmedabad by late evening from Mumbai. Congress leaders have lost contact with these four MLAs. They will be kept in a five star hotel in Ahmedabad.