BJP MP from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut, recently took to social media to express her support for Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde amidst allegations of betrayal made by Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati against Uddhav Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief. Ranaut highlighted the common occurrence of alliances and divisions in politics, drawing parallels to historical party splits in the Congress party to justify political maneuvers.
In her post, Kangana also delved into the intersection of religion and politics, asserting that if a ruler exploits their subjects, it goes against the innate principles of faith and morality. Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, on the other hand, met with Uddhav Thackeray and extended his support while emphasizing the severity of betrayal in the Hindu religion, positioning it as one of the gravest sins.
The political landscape in Maharashtra faced turbulence when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government collapsed in June 2022, leading to Eknath Shinde rebelling against the Shiv Sena and ultimately becoming the Chief Minister in collaboration with the BJP. Amidst these developments, various religious figures like Mahant Narayan Giri and Mahant Raju Das chimed in with differing viewpoints, critiquing Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati's stance and actions, and highlighting instances of perceived betrayal and neglect of issues concerning the Hindu community by political leaders.