Raj Thackeray holds Uddhav responsible for Shiv Sena developments

Holding Uddhav Thackeray solely responsible for the developments involving Shiv Sena, his estranged cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray advised Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde to concentrate on the state’s administration.

“Ali Baba and 40 others left…I won’t describe them as ‘chor’ (thieves)…in fact, they were fed up,” Raj said on Wednesday evening while addressing a mammoth rally at the historic Shivaji Park at Dadar in Mumbai coinciding with Gudi Padwa festivities.

This is the first mega rally of the MNS since the June 2022 split in the Shiv Sena, which was founded by late Balasaheb Thackeray 56 years ago.

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“You (Shinde) have got a chance, work for people, concentrate on administration….don’t address rallies in places where he (Uddhav) had addressed….its going on like, of they have addressed in Khed, you also do it in Khed…if they have addressed in Worli you also do in Worli…in fact this should not be the way,” said Raj.

“You have got the name (Shiv Sena) now, you have got the (bow and arrow) symbol now…and you have said that he will carry forward the legacy of Balasaheb…(so now) work for Maharashtra,” he said.

During his 45-minute address, Raj lashed out at Uddhav for the mess in the Shiv Sena and the developments that unfolded.

He said while in Shiv Sena, he was aware that it was not just a ‘dhanush’ but Shiv-dhanush and only Balasaheb could have handled it.

Talking about the 2019 Vidhan Sabha polls, he said: “The Shiv Sena and BJP contested the polls together…only after the results were out, Uddhav spoke of the post of chief minister for two-and-a-half years each (for BJP and Shiv Sena)….he said that (then BJP president) Amit Shah promised him…but when Narendra Modi said that Devendra Fadnavis would be the next chief minister why there was no objection,” he said.