Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday claimed that there was disagreement among the party's dissident MPs over who from among them would become a Union minister, and that a settlement has been reached to provide additional Rs 25 crore to those who will not get the opportunity.
Read more: Six rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs allege party was looking to merge with Congress
Sena (UBT) MPs Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar are likely to join the ruling Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. These lawmakers did not attend the Sena (UBT) parliamentary party meeting convened on Thursday, confirming their breach with Uddhav Thackeray's leadership.
Talking to reporters, Raut said, "There are clashes in the rebel group over who will become minister at the Centre." "Only one among the six can become minister, so it has been decided and a settlement has been made that the rest will be given an additional Rs 25 crore (for the switchover)," he alleged.
Slamming Mumbai Northeast MP Sanjay Dina Patil for rebelling, Thackeray said there was no reason for him to abandon the party. Even his daughter, Rajool Patil, was given a ticket for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ignoring a "loyalist". Rajool won the civic polls earlier this year.
"We were very confident that Sanjay Dina Patil will attend the meeting called by the party in New Delhi on Thursday," Raut said.
Read more: Six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs skip party meet, signalling switchover to Shinde camp
He also attacked the Maharashtra government for granting 'Y-plus' security to rebel MPs, and dared them to roam without any protection.
"The police department is only for the protection of traitors. This is a waste of public money," Raut said, adding that the dissident MPs should first resign and seek fresh mandate from the people.
