Shiv Sena Leader Raut's Friendly Tone for Rival BJP Hints at Future Realignment

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) currently rules Maharashtra after forming a political alliance with Shiv Sena party's breakaway faction led by Eknath Shinde. While Shinde is the State Chief, the federally ruling BJP's Devendra Fadnavis is his deputy.

Shiv Sena Parliamentarian Sanjay Raut has left people surprised with his praise of arch rival Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) top leader Devendra Fadnavis in India's Maharashtra state.

In the past, Raut, as a key politician from Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, has been quite critical of the BJP.

"Those decisions that are good for the country or the state should be welcomed. I welcome the decisions taken by Deputy State Chief Devendra Fadnavis. I will meet him very soon," Raut told reporters in Mumbai.

He even stated that he would also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and federal Home Minister Amit Shah soon in Delhi.

Raut's friendly tone towards the BJP leaders has hinted at a likelihood of a political realignment in the future.

The firebrand parliamentarian is a confidante of Thackeray, who shares a bitter relationship with his aide-turned-foe Shinde, the current Maharashtra state chief.

Until June, Thackeray was the head of the government in Maharashtra with two other opposition parties - the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) -- being his Shiv Sena's alliance partners.

However, all that changed after Eknath Shinde revolted against him, and took away majority of Shiv Sena lawmakers with him. Subsequently, Shinde went on to form a new government in the state with the help of the BJP.

Presently, the Shiv Sena is split between two rival groups -- the Thackeray led faction and the Shinde-led faction. Shinde enjoys the support of his party's 40 legislators. Thackeray, on the other hand, has 16 legislators supporting him.

In total, the Sena has 56 lawmakers in the Maharashtra state assembly.