India, March 16 -- Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday claimed that deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde had in the past tried to join the Congress when the party was in power at the Centre and in the state and even held talks with Congress leader, late Ahmed Patel, in this regard.

Speaking to the media on Saturday morning, Raut claimed, "Shinde was once about to join Congress. You can ask Prithviraj Chavan about it. I know of early morning talks held between Shinde and Ahmed Patel.''

Raut's claims come a day after Congress leader Nana Patole invited deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar to join them and take the chief minister's post on rotational basis.

However, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said he was not aware of...