India, Feb. 16 -- Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday indirectly questioned his party leadership's decision to stay away from campaigning in the recent Zilla Parishad (ZP) elections, saying there was a public perception that the outcome could have been different had Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray campaigned across the state.

Writing in his weekly column 'Rokh Thok' in Saamana, Raut said, "There is public sentiment that if the Thackeray cousins had campaigned in the ZP polls, the results would have been different." Without naming his party chief directly, Raut's remarks were seen as signalling discontent within sections of the Sena (UBT).

He also launched a sharp attack on the BJP, alleging that it has begun preparations for the...