Rs 500 Crore Audio Row: BJP Blames Sanjay Raut, Seeks to Ease Tensions With Shinde Sena

BJP MLC Prasad Lad on Saturday sought to play down the growing differences between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena over the controversial audio clip released by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange. Both parties are constituents of Maharashtra's ruling Mahayuti alliance, and the controversy has raised questions about whether the allegations could strain relations between the two allies.

The audio clip, released by Jarange on Thursday, purportedly suggests that Rs 500 crore was delivered to the activist through Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, the son of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The allegations have not been independently verified, and the controversy has triggered a war of words between leaders of the BJP and Shiv Sena.

The dispute escalated on Friday when Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam accused a section of the BJP of colluding with Jarange to politically "finish a Maratha leader", in an apparent reference to Eknath Shinde. His remarks brought the differences between the alliance partners into the open, with the controversy moving beyond the audio recording to questions about political trust within the ruling coalition.

Responding to the developments on Saturday, Lad sought to shift the focus towards Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, whom he described as the main accused and conspirator in the controversy. He alleged that Raut was attempting to create a rift between the BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

"Raut has attempted to create a rift between the BJP and Shiv Sena, but the two parties will continue to work together," Lad told reporters.

Lad also adopted a conciliatory tone towards Kadam, describing him as a "respected elder". He said the BJP had already responded to Kadam's remarks and that Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant had held a press conference to declare the matter closed.

According to Lad, Samant had spoken to him over the phone after discussions with Eknath Shinde and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Lad said the BJP was prepared to put the dispute behind it if Kadam was also willing to end the matter.

"The BJP has responded to his (Kadam's) comments. Shiv Sena's Uday Samant also held a press conference and declared the issue closed. Samant had spoken to me over phone after discussions with Shinde and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. If Kadam has decided to end the matter, then BJP would also consider it closed," Lad said.

The BJP MLC also referred to reports that Fadnavis had spoken to Kadam on Saturday and advised him against making remarks that could damage the Mahayuti alliance. Lad reiterated that the BJP respected Shinde and regarded him as an elder brother, signalling that his party did not want the controversy to develop into a larger confrontation between the two parties.

"We respect Eknath Shinde and regard him as our elder brother. If this has happened, the matter is closed from our side as well, and nobody from the BJP will discuss it further," Lad said.

He further asserted that the BJP, Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Republican Party of India (Athawale), or RPI (A), remained united as constituents of the Mahayuti government.

Political implications of the audio clip controversy

Lad's remarks appear aimed at containing the political fallout of the controversy before it develops into a prolonged dispute between the BJP and Shiv Sena. While the two parties remain partners in the Maharashtra government, Kadam's accusation that elements within the BJP were attempting to undermine Shinde exposed the possibility of internal mistrust within the alliance.

The BJP's decision to emphasise its respect for Shinde, while accusing Sanjay Raut of attempting to drive a wedge between the allies, also reflects an effort to prevent the controversy from becoming a public test of the alliance's unity. By declaring the matter closed, Lad has sought to draw a line under the exchange of accusations and discourage further public remarks from BJP leaders.

However, the political dispute cannot be separated from the wider sensitivity surrounding the Maratha reservation movement. Jarange has emerged as an influential figure in the agitation, making allegations involving him politically consequential for Maharashtra's major parties. The purported Rs 500 crore payment, if substantiated, would raise serious questions; until the recording is authenticated and its claims investigated, however, the allegations remain unproven.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a forensic examination of the audio clip to establish its authenticity. The findings could be important not only in determining the credibility of the claims but also in assessing the political consequences for the leaders named in the controversy.

For now, Lad's statements indicate that the BJP is seeking to prevent the row from escalating into a sustained confrontation with its alliance partner. Whether the matter is truly settled will depend on the subsequent responses of Shiv Sena leaders, the outcome of the investigation and whether further allegations emerge.

(With PTI Inputs)