“Why is he not moving?”: Sanjay Raut Questions Fadnavis' Hesitation to Shift to Varsha, Alleges Rebuilding Plans

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has questioned Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' hesitation to shift into Varsha, the official CM’s residence, alleging that the BJP leader may be planning to demolish and rebuild the bungalow.

Despite the assembly election results being declared two months ago, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde continues to reside at Varsha, while Fadnavis remains at his previous official residence. Sanjay Raut suggested that there might be underlying reasons preventing Fadnavis from occupying the CM’s bungalow and claimed the government intends to reconstruct it entirely.

"Why is Devendra Fadnavis afraid to move into Varsha? Why is his family hesitant? What has happened at the bungalow that is stopping him? This is a matter of concern for the people of Maharashtra," Raut stated.

Raut further alleged that a superstitious ritual had been performed at Varsha, where someone reportedly dug a hole in the lawn and buried the horns of a red deer sacrificed at the Kamakhya Devi temple to ensure that no one else could hold the Chief Minister's post. "There is talk about it. Their own people are saying this. The staff at Varsha are also discussing it. I don’t know whether it is true or false," he said.

Reiterating his claims, Raut asserted that plans were underway to demolish Varsha and reconstruct it from scratch. "A decision has been made to tear down the bungalow and build a new one. I have reliable information that there are plans to completely excavate and rebuild it. Something is happening behind the scenes, and I am raising this question based on credible inputs," he claimed.

Reacting to Raut’s allegations, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde dismissed them, saying, "He must have experience in such matters; that’s why he is making such statements. He knows better and should answer himself."

Notably, apart from Varsha, Shinde also occupies the premier bungalows Nandanvan which were allocated to him during his tenure as a minister in previous governments.