Gulabrao Patil Slams Sanjay Raut On Shiv Sena 59 Vardhapan Din
Cabinet Minister Gulabrao Patil delivered a fiery and provocative speech at the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction)'s 59th anniversary rally held at NSCI Dome, Worli, on June 19, 2025. The sharpest barbs were reserved for Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, whom Patil accused of being the “only person capable of destroying Shiv Sena.”
The rally, which was attended by key leaders including Eknath Shinde, Shrikant Shinde, Milind Deora, Deepak Kesarkar, and others, saw a highly charged political atmosphere, reflecting the deep divide between the Shinde and Uddhav factions of the party.
Personal Jabs and Political History
Beginning his speech with personal recollections, Patil took a sarcastic tone:
“To be honest, my pure mate is Sanjay Raut. Even my aunt used to speak about him. When Uddhav Thackeray was Chief Minister and there was a proposal to ally with MNS, this same cartoon Sanjay Raut dismissed the party, calling it dead. Today, the same Raut says to MNS: ‘I love you, brother should come to brother.’”
Patil continued to mock Raut's shifting political stance and alleged opportunism, declaring that Raut was now “starting to understand the reality.”
“Saffron Flag Will Fly Over Municipal Corporations”
Referring to the political shift in Maharashtra, Patil said:
“He now sees how the saffron flag was raised in the Legislative Assembly under Eknath Shinde’s leadership, and that the same flag of Mahayuti will soon fly over every Municipal Corporation.”
Ayodhya Visit Revelations
Patil also recounted an incident from the duo's past Ayodhya visit:
“Raut himself says he went to Ayodhya with Shinde Saheb. There, in a room, Shinde Saheb told him that we should step out together as one group. Now the same Raut calls us traitors, says we stole the symbol and the bow and arrow.”
Attack on Raut's Associates
The minister went further by targeting Raut's former aides, asking:
“Where is Badgujar now, Raut Saheb? Wasn’t he your favorite? Even those close to you have started deserting you. That says enough.”
“The Real Enemy of Shiv Sena”
In his most direct attack, Patil declared:
“If there is anyone who can actually end Shiv Sena, it is Sanjay Raut. He is the only Mahamandaleshwar who has worked to destroy the party from within.”
He also accused Raut of hypocrisy and lacking grassroots support:
“Raut Saheb came to Jalgaon and barked at us. He said we split into five, threatened us. But we got all five MLAs re-elected. He didn’t have the strength to get someone elected even as a corporator. He became an MP with our votes and today he criticizes Shinde Saheb.”
Hindutva and Marathi Identity
Concluding his speech, Patil emphasized the ideological foundation of the Shinde-led faction:
“They shout slogans of Marathi identity today, but they’ve abandoned Hindutva. If anyone has truly preserved Balasaheb’s legacy, it is Eknath Shinde.”
He ended with an explosive line that sparked both applause and controversy:
“May Sanjay Raut be annihilated!” — a statement that underscored the growing bitterness between the two Shiv Sena factions.
The aggressive tone of Patil’s speech highlights the ongoing internal war within Shiv Sena, as both factions prepare for upcoming elections and continue to fight for the legacy of the party's founder, Balasaheb Thackeray.