Amid ongoing political speculation over alleged attempts to engineer defections among opposition MPs, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Friday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is pursuing a larger political agenda aimed at weakening regional parties ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to reporters, Raut dismissed claims that recent political developments were linked to efforts to secure support for the proposed Delimitation Bill and the Women’s Reservation Bill.
According to him, the alleged attempts to split opposition parties are part of a broader strategy to eliminate regional political forces from the national landscape.
“The analysis that MPs are being poached merely to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill or the Delimitation Bill is incorrect. Why should we sacrifice our party and regional identity for a numbers game?” Raut said.
Taking a swipe at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Raut remarked that no political leader is permanent and questioned the BJP’s approach toward opposition parties.
Raut further alleged that the BJP fears the emergence of a strong opposition alliance ahead of the next general elections. He claimed that the ruling party does not want regional parties to remain politically relevant alongside the Congress.
“The BJP wants to ensure that regional parties cease to exist by 2029. With an overwhelming majority in Parliament, they intend to amend the Constitution, weaken democratic institutions and move towards a presidential form of government. We will not allow that to happen,” he alleged.
Backing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Raut said the Leader of the Opposition has emerged as a key challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is leading the fight against the BJP at the national level.
“Rahul Gandhi is a popular national leader who is continuously fighting for democratic values. Under his leadership, we are confident of forming the government at the Centre in 2029. Modi and Shah are aware of this possibility, which is why efforts are being made to weaken regional parties,” he said.
Responding to reports that MPs from Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) could also face attempts at poaching, Raut alleged that such political manoeuvring has become a regular feature of national politics. He also took a sarcastic dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that efforts to engineer defections have become the hallmark of those in power.
Raut’s remarks come amid heightened political activity in Maharashtra and growing speculation over possible realignments within opposition parties ahead of key electoral battles.
