BJP like declining British Empire, says Sanjay Raut after Fadnavis' 'Ghajini' jibe
Synopsis
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut compared the BJP to the British Empire before its 1942 collapse, after CM Devendra Fadnavis called the Thackeray brothers 'Ghajini'. Raut countered by demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar face the public, announcing a multi-party march to the Election Commission, and targeting Deputy CM Eknath Shinde for leaving drought-hit Maharashtra for Delhi.
Key Takeaways
Sanjay Raut compared the BJP to the declining British Empire of 1942 in response to CM Devendra Fadnavis ' 'Ghajini' jibe at the Thackeray brothers .
Raut invoked Supreme Court Justice Ujwal Bhuyan 's concerns about election integrity to challenge the BJP's dismissal of opposition protests.
BJP Minister Ashish Shelar 's description of the Garjana Morcha as 'jackal-howling' drew a sharp retort from Raut, who called it a 'Roar' and the largest anti-election manipulation protest in India.
Raut announced a joint opposition march from Parliament's Makar Dwar to the Election Commission office to submit evidence against CEC Gyanesh Kumar .
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde was criticised for travelling to Delhi amid drought conditions in Maharashtra .
Raut alleged that heavy security, including the BSF , has been deployed around PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah 's residences to block protests.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday, 5 October launched a sharp counter-attack against Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after Fadnavis labelled the Thackeray brothers 'Ghajini' — a reference to a Bollywood film whose protagonist suffers acute memory loss — while dismissing the opposition's protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged discrepancies and a lack of transparency in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. Raut did not mince words, comparing the BJP's current political state to the panicked desperation of the British Empire on the eve of its collapse in 1942.
Raut turns 'Ghajini' label back on BJP
Dismissing the ruling coalition's attempts to minimise the turnout at the Garjana Morcha — which Raut described as the largest anti-election manipulation protest the country has witnessed — he redirected the 'Ghajini' taunt squarely at the BJP leadership. 'Supreme Court Justice Ujwal Bhuyan voiced strong concerns about election integrity, noting how wrong it is when millions of citizens lose their right to vote. Will Devendra Fadnavis have the audacity to call a sitting Supreme Court judge 'Ghajini' too? Will Ashish Shelar claim the apex court is merely 'jackal-howling'? The BJP's mental equilibrium has collapsed under public fury,' Raut said.
Fadnavis' political future in Raut's crosshairs
Raut further suggested that CM Fadnavis' political career is on a downward trajectory, quipping: 'We try to give him energy by saying he has a future in Delhi, but he keeps damaging himself. He is stuck in the pipeline for a top national role. Once he understands that millions taking to the streets is a revolution rather than whining, only then will he reach the top.'
Shelar's 'jackal-howling' remark draws fire
Responding to BJP Minister Ashish Shelar's dismissal of the opposition rally as kolhekui (jackal-howling), Raut retorted: 'They are jackals themselves, which is why all they see is howling. It wasn't a howl; it was a Garjana — a Roar — the largest anti-election manipulation protest the country has seen.' Raut claimed that central authorities are deeply rattled by mounting public anger over CEC Gyanesh Kumar, and pointed out that New Delhi resembles a military camp, with heavy security forces, the Border Security Force (BSF), and armed personnel deployed around the residences of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to block impending demonstrations.
Opposition plans march to Election Commission
Raut announced that opposition parties from across India will assemble at Parliament's Makar Dwar and march directly to the Election Commission office to submit what he described as hard evidence of electoral irregularities. He demanded that CEC Gyanesh Kumar step forward to answer the public rather than, as he put it, 'remaining in hiding'. Raut also noted that senior legal figures, including Kapil Sibal, have joined street protests, signalling a broadening of the opposition coalition.
Shinde and 'turncoat' MLAs also targeted
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader did not spare Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde either, criticising him for travelling to Delhi while Maharashtra grapples with drought and rising corruption. 'Maharashtra is reeling under drought and rising corruption, yet the Deputy Chief Minister sits on the lawn of the Home Minister's house in Delhi like a paying guest. Announcing a list of drought-hit talukas and running off to Delhi is the height of shamelessness,' Raut said. Addressing MLAs he called turncoats, he added: 'You may get ₹50 crore or two police escort vehicles ahead and behind, but public sentiment cannot be bought. When students call out 'gaddar' (traitor), it is the genuine voice of the people.' The political temperature in Maharashtra is set to rise further as both the ruling alliance and the opposition prepare their next moves ahead of any formal electoral review.
Point of View
Not merely partisan. The BJP's dismissive language ('jackal-howling', 'Ghajini') risks reinforcing the opposition's narrative that the ruling alliance is rattled. With a multi-party march to the Election Commission now announced and legal heavyweights like Kapil Sibal on the streets, the pressure on CEC Gyanesh Kumar is no longer confined to Maharashtra's political theatre — it has acquired a national dimension that the Centre cannot easily brush aside.
NationPress
5 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Sanjay Raut compare the BJP to the declining British Empire?
Raut made the comparison on 5 October 2026 in response to CM Devendra Fadnavis calling the Thackeray brothers 'Ghajini', arguing the BJP has 'lost its mental balance' much like the panicked British Empire before its downfall in 1942. He used the analogy to suggest the ruling party is rattled by mass public protests over the SIR process.
What is the 'Ghajini' controversy in Maharashtra politics?
CM Devendra Fadnavis used the term 'Ghajini' — a reference to a Bollywood character with severe memory loss — to dismiss the Thackeray brothers' protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over alleged discrepancies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) electoral roll process. Raut countered by turning the label back on the BJP leadership.
What is the Garjana Morcha and why is it significant?
The Garjana Morcha was a large opposition-organised protest against alleged manipulation in the voter-roll revision (SIR) process and the conduct of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Raut described it as the largest anti-election manipulation protest in India's history, while BJP's Ashish Shelar dismissed it as 'kolhekui' (jackal-howling).
What action did Sanjay Raut announce against the Election Commission?
Raut announced that opposition parties from across India will gather at Parliament's Makar Dwar and march to the Election Commission office to submit evidence of electoral irregularities. He also demanded that CEC Gyanesh Kumar publicly address the controversy rather than, as Raut put it, 'remaining in hiding'.
Why did Raut criticise Deputy CM Eknath Shinde?
Raut criticised Shinde for travelling to Delhi while Maharashtra faces drought conditions and rising corruption, accusing him of abandoning the state's crisis to sit at Home Minister Amit Shah's residence. He called the move 'the height of shamelessness' given that drought-hit talukas had just been officially listed.
