Sanjay Raut takes 'dancer' jibe at Navneet Rana; BJP moves EC

NEW DELHI: The Bhartiya Janata Party on Friday urged the Election Commission to take strict action against Shiv Sena-UBT leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut for his recent 'dancer' jibe on BJP's candidate from Amravati Lok Sabha seat Navneet Rana .

Raut made the controversial remark against the BJP candidate while addressing a campaign rally in Amaravati in support of Congress candidate Balwant Wankhede, who is pitted against Rana.

"The Lok Sabha election is a contest not against a dancer or 'babli' (a con character in a Hindi film) but a fight between Maharashtra and Modi. She is a dancer, an actor on the screen who will make some affectionate gestures, but do not fall for that trap," Raut said.

Asking the voters to defeat Rana, Shiv Sena MP further said, "She tried to enter 'Matoshri' (residence of Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai) by force (during an agitation in 2022). She challenged us and used foul language for Hindu religion. It is the primary duty and moral obligation of Shiv Sena supporters to defeat her in the election."

Rana, an actor-turned-politician, was elected from Amravati Lok Sabha seat as an independent in 2019 and she is now contesting from the same constituency on a BJP ticket.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena objected to Raut's comments and urged the Election Commission to take severe actions against him.

Manisha Kayande, a member of the ruling Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, said, "Like Congress leader Randeep Surjewala who used insulting words against BJP MP Hema Malini, Sanjay Raut should also be reprimanded by the Election Commission (EC)."

"The EC should ban Raut from addressing rallies during the campaign and teach him a lesson. Raut should not be allowed to give any speeches or interviews to the media during the entire campaign period," she said.

Moreover, women functionaries of the BJP and Yuva Swabhiman Party also protested against Sanjay Raut and tore several Shiv Sena (UBT) posters having images of the Rajya Sabha MP.

Amravati in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra will go into the polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha election on April 26.