PM Narendra Modi is top leader of country and BJP, says Shiv Sena`s Sanjay Raut

The Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP made the statement in response to a question on whether he felt that PM Modi`s popularity is on a downslide as media reports suggested that RSS is contemplating to project state leaders as the face in the state elections.

Mumbai: Days after the one-on-one meeting between Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that the ''PM is the top leader of the country and the BJP.''

The Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP made the statement in response to a question on whether he felt that PM Modi's popularity is on a downslide as media reports suggested that the RSS is contemplating to project state leaders as the face in the upcoming state elections. 

"I don't want to comment on this...I don't go by the media reports. There is no official statement about this... The BJP owes its success to Narendra Modi in the last seven years and currently, he is the top leader of the country and his party," Raut said. 

The Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha member, who is currently on a tour of north Maharashtra, was speaking to reporters in Jalgaon. ''The Shiv Sena's stand has always been that a Prime Minister belongs to the entire country and not a particular party,'' he said, adding, "Hence the PM shouldn't get involved in election campaigning as it puts pressure on the official machinery?’’ 

Replying to another question on Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil's remarks that his party would make friendship with tiger (Shiv Sena's symbol) if PM Modi wished, Raut said, “No one can make friendship with a tiger. It is the tiger that decides whom he wants to be friends with." 

When asked about his tour of north Maharashtra, he said it was part of the Shiv Sena's efforts to strengthen the organisation. "All Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies have a right to expand their base and strengthen the parties. It is also the need of the hour. We are also holding meetings on strengthening our coordination among each other," he said. 

Reacting to Mamata Banerjee's victory in the West Bengal assembly elections, Raut had then said that the TMC leader has shown to the world that ''PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are not invincible.''

It may be noted that Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has been critical of PM Modi’s government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic but the regional party has always voiced its support to the Centre over issues of paramount national importance.