Archive · 28 Sep 2026
Raut Attacks Fadnavis Over Defense of Election Commissioner
Sanjay Raut criticized Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
He was responding to Fadnavis saying Rahul Gandhi had lost his brain after alleging problems with voter lists and elections.
Raut said the government was defending Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar instead of answering the allegations.
Raut claimed the Election Commission had lost independence and was affected by politics.
He also cited reports about disagreements inside the commission.
These claims are Raut’s allegations, not established facts in the article.
Raut compared the commission’s public unity to photo opportunities involving Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde.
He also criticized Fadnavis’s advice that people reduce expenses during drought and accused the administration of corruption.
Sanjay Raut criticized Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for dismissing Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of voter-list manipulation and electoral fraud.
Raut questioned why Fadnavis and other BJP leaders were defending Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar instead of addressing the Opposition’s concerns.
Raut alleged that the Election Commission had lost its constitutional independence and was facing political influence and internal friction.
He accused the government of using police, state machinery and central security forces to protect Kumar from protests, while saying Kumar would eventually have to leave.
Raut also criticized Fadnavis’s advice to reduce personal spending during drought and accused the administration of failing to control corruption.
- Who
- Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Rahul Gandhi and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- What
- Raut attacked Fadnavis over his comments about Rahul Gandhi and his reported defense of the Chief Election Commissioner.
- When
- Monday; the article does not specify the date.
- Where
- Mumbai and Maharashtra.
- Why
- Raut was responding to Fadnavis’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi and alleging political influence and irregularities involving the Election Commission.
Raut’s Position
Fadnavis’s Reported Position
Election Commission independence
Raut’s Position
Raut alleged that the Election Commission had lost its independence, was politically influenced and faced internal divisions.
Fadnavis’s Reported Position
The article describes Fadnavis as defending Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, but does not provide a detailed explanation of his position on the commission’s independence.
Rahul Gandhi’s election allegations
Raut’s Position
Raut said the Opposition’s allegations about voter-list manipulation and electoral fraud should be addressed on their merits.
Fadnavis’s Reported Position
Fadnavis reportedly dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s allegations by saying Gandhi had lost his brain.
Drought response
Raut’s Position
Raut criticized Fadnavis for asking citizens to reduce expenses and said the government should instead address corruption within its administration.
Fadnavis’s Reported Position
The article reports Fadnavis’s advice to citizens but does not include a further response from him on Raut’s criticism.
- Main speaker
- Sanjay Raut, a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha member
- Maharashtra chief minister
- Devendra Fadnavis
- Election official named
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Trigger for dispute
- Fadnavis reportedly said Rahul Gandhi had lost his brain after raising allegations of voter-list manipulation and electoral fraud
- Raut’s institutional allegation
- Raut alleged that the Election Commission had lost constitutional independence and was operating under political influence
- Additional criticism
- Raut criticized the government’s response to drought and accused its administration of corruption