Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday alleged that Rs 2,000 crore was paid to “purchase” the name and ‘bow and arrow’ symbol of Shiv Sena by the Eknath Shinde led faction. In a tweet, Raut claimed that Rs 2,000 crore was a preliminary figure and this was 100 per cent true.

The Rajya Sabha member said that his claims were backed by proof which he will be disclosing soon, mentioning that a builder close to the ruling dispensation had shared this information with him. He told reporters that the way the Election Commission of India (ECI) recognized the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena was not justice but “business”.

Sanjay Raut said, “And so far a transaction of ₹2,000 crore has happened in that case. This is my primary guess. This is my FIR. This decision was bought.”

He further alleged, “The government, the leader, and the group of unscrupulous people that puts a price of ₹50 crore to buy an MLA, bids ₹100 crore to buy a member of Parliament, bids ₹1 crore to buy our councillor and shakha pramukh, you can guess how much they can bid to buy the party symbol and party name,” adding “It's ₹2,000 crore according to my knowledge.”

Refuting the claims, MLA Sada Sarvankar from the Shinde camp asked, “Is Sanjay Raut a cashier?”

It may be noted that the ECI had recognized the Shide-led faction as the real Shiv Sena in a 78-page order to bring the protracted battle over the name and symbol to an end. ECI allowed Uddhav Thackeray to use the ‘flaming torch’ symbol till the completion of the assembly by-polls in the state.

Raut tweeted, “The EC's decision is a deal," Raut alleged. "I have reliable information that there has been a deal of ₹2000 crore to get the Shiv Sena name and its symbol. This is a preliminary figure and is 100 per cent true. Many things will be revealed shortly. Never before this has happened in the country's history.”