'Uddhav had emotionally blackmailed Balasaheb, hijacked Shiv Sena', claims Shinde aide Naresh Mhaske

Mumbai: In a serious charge, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has accused Uddhav Thackeray, the now head of Shiv Sena (UBT) of hijacking the Shiv Sena by “emotionally blackmailing” late Balasaheb Thackeray during a crucial leadership transition.

Shiv Sena’s Thane MP Naresh Mhaske, who is a close aide of Shinde, the now deputy chief minister, made the allegations during a news conference in New Delhi.

“Uddhav Thackeray had threatened to leave the Thackeray household when Balasaheb was considering handing over party reins to leaders like Raj Thackeray, Ganesh Naik, and Narayan Rane,” Mhaske said.

He recalled that Raj Thackeray had once offered to take charge of the party in regions where Shiv Sena was struggling, and that Balasaheb was willing to trust him with that responsibility until Uddhav intervened. “It was emotional blackmail that pushed Balasaheb into handing over power to Uddhav,” Mhaske alleged.

Defending the recent meeting between Shinde and Raj Thackeray, who later founded Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Mhaske said their ideological alignment is rooted in Balasaheb’s vision.

“The meeting made some people uncomfortable—but the truth is, both leaders share the same core values. It’s ironic that those who once stood firmly against Congress now seek its support,” he added, taking a dig at Uddhav Thackeray.

Mhaske also slammed the Uddhav faction for what he called “manipulating Balasaheb’s legacy” through doctored videos and fabricated statements.

“You misuse Balasaheb’s voice because you lack the courage to directly criticize Eknath Shinde or Devendra Fadnavis,” he said.

In a striking revelation, Mhaske accused Uddhav Thackeray aide Sanjay Raut of harboring jealousy towards the late Dharamveer Anand Dighe. “You once got him arrested through a provocative article you published. You have no moral right to even speak his name,” he said.