MUMBAI: Many in the Shiv Sena circles called him the lone crusader who could hold a press conference daily the whole year round and travel to multiple cities to network across the political spectrum on the same day. With Shiv Sena MP and Saamna executive editor Sanjay Raut arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the party is already feeling the vacuum. Can they find a new leader to step into his shoes and wear his multiple hats?
Raut was not just the Sena's most vocal anti-BJP and anti-Modi voice, he enjoyed proximity to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and access to top leaders across parties including the likes of Mamta Banerjee and K Chandrashekhar Rao. He was seen to play a key role in stitching together the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition in the state.
