Sanjay Raut's return promises a new, more aggressive verbal war

Raut leaving Arthur Road jail. Pic/Shadab Khan

It is rare for the Shiv Sena to keep a chair vacant to mark a leader at public rallies in absentia, but at this year's Shivaji Park Dussehra rally, the party's chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut was given that honour.

Another empty chair at the Dussehra rally was meant for ailing former chief minister Manohar Joshi, but the one for Rajya Sabha MP Raut confirmed his elevated status in the party, more so after he had played a stellar role in forging the MVA, and later taking on the BJP and Shinde Sena, before he was arrested in July on money laundering charges.

After a prolonged wait and a month-long hearing in the PMLA court, Raut was released on bail on Wednesday evening. The news brought cheers to the Thackeray Sena, which was buoyed by a recent by-poll victory three days ago. The crowd at the Arthur Road Jail and Raut's Bhandup residence said it would be a Diwali-like celebration for them. His residence was decked up with lights and rangoli. Fire crackers were burst and some 500 bike riders were called in to lead the MP's cavalcade to the places he was expected to visit, like the Kala Nagar residence of Uddhav Thackeray and the late Balasaheb Thackeray's Shivaji Park memorial. The adrenaline rushed through the sainiks once again on Wednesday after Sunday's election victory which recorded the highest-ever vote count for the party in Andheri East Assembly segment.

Also read: Patra Chawl case: Arrest of Sanjay Raut illegal, says PMLA court

Sanjay Raut leaves after being granted bail. Pic/Ashish Raje

The jailed Raut's absence was felt acutely in the Thackeray Sena, especially after it lost the parent party's name and election symbol. His morning press conferences, fiery tweets and off the cuff remarks were missed sorely. The editorials and op-ed pieces in the party mouthpiece ‘Saamna' smacked of his style, but couldn't sting as much as the Raut-authored ones did. On his return from the jail, the sharpness in his attacks and writings is expected to enhance further.

The party did try to fill in the void by inducting some firebrand leaders to launch frontal attacks on the BJP and Shinde Sena, but Raut's demand has kept rising. The party workers said a cannon called Raut will again penetrate the Opposition citadel. When in jail, Raut did provide some fodder to the media persons who courted him during the PMLA hearing. The investigating agency objected but the court overruled, saying it won't interfere as long as he commented on the matters it is not hearing.

Raut's release came at a point when the state politics has intensified. The Shinde Sena MLAs and ministers are under fire and busy defending an allegation that they were bribed to forge an alliance with the BJP. The CM's group has threatened to file defamation cases against its accusers. Some ministers like Abdul Sattar have landed in trouble over making uncouth remarks against the opposition leaders, some women included. The Shinde Sena has been lacking the strength and finesse in its rejoinders and attacks. Clearly, it needs an articulate and aggressive posse of spokespersons. The BJP is rich in this department and it has come to the ally's rescue, but it can't do it when the Shinde Sena's guys get involved in indefensible positions. Raut's return will begin the next round of verbal war - more aggressive and brutal ahead of the BMC and other local body polls.

What Raut could do

On the MVA front, Rahul Gandhi's ongoing Maharashtra leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra is seen as a tool to consolidate the state's anti-BJP parties, civil activists and think tanks. Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh, two former ministers of the NCP which is one of the MVA partners, are still in jail in the money laundering cases. Raut has been Thackeray's points person for coordinating the MVA matters. He will continue to do so in the coming days as well, and may join Gandhi along with other Sena and MVA leaders.

To begin his tirade afresh, Raut may have strong material at hand in the form of the PMLA court's order that has raised questions over his arrest and subsequent action by the Enforcement Directorate. Raut had said before being arrested that he would die but not buckle under pressure to join any other party.

Verdict to come

Upon his release, he told media persons, "I have trust in the judiciary and it has increased manifold today. I also trust the investigating agency. The court said my arrest was entirely illegal. I have been saying that I was trapped. I spent over 100 days in jail."

The investigating agency moved the Bombay High Court on Wednesday, but the matter was not heard immediately and posted for Thursday. The extent of Raut's freedom depends on the HC's verdict.