Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) founder-president Raj Thackeray ordered MNS leaders on Monday to desist from commenting about possible alliance with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and clarified that he would personally talk about all issues as soon as he is back in Mumbai, after his holiday abroad.
Thackeray, who is presently holidaying abroad, issued the order to MNS leaders after some second-tier leaders of the party criticised moves to join hands with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.
Earlier, MNS leader Amey Khopkar had commented that an alliance with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena is “unwanted”. Another close aide of Raj Thackeray, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande had questioned if Uddhav Thackeray 0apologised for the 17,000 cases registered against MNS workers when he was the chief minister of Maharashtra. Yet another MNS leader Yashwant Killedar had raised doubts about an alliance with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.
However, after Uddhav Thackeray took a positive stand about a potential alliance with the Raj Thackeray-led MNS, leaders of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena have welcomed it and did not respond to any criticism made by MNS leaders. An editorial in Saamana, which is the daily Marathi newspaper and mouthpiece of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, expressed positive views about a probable alliance with the Raj Thackeray-led MNS.
Replying to MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande’s question, Uddhav-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said Deshpande is merely an MNS official and only Raj Thackeray’s words will prevail. “Raj Thackeray made a statement and Uddhav Thackeray welcomed it. What anyone else says is not relevant. Everything is for the good of Maharashtra. Those who are anti-Maharashtra should not be listened to. We have not put any pre-conditions,” he said.
Raut further said that both Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray talked about the welfare of Maharashtra. “The BJP does not fit into this formula. Neither do the people who support it. This is not a pre-condition, but the sentiment of the people,” he added.
“I have worked with Balasaheb Thackeray, (Balasaheb’s brother and Raj Thackeray’s father) Shrikant Thackeray, Raj Thackeray as well as Uddhav Thackeray. Balasaheb Thackeray founded Shiv Sena for the benefit of Maharashtra. There are no conditions or terms for coming together for the benefit of Maharashtra,” Sanjay Raut told media persons in Mumbai.
“Those who come in the way of Maharashtra’s interest, should not be allowed in their (MNS) houses. Such people should not be in their (MNS) company. Do we put up photos of Morarji Desai or Narendra Modi in our houses? No. That’s because both these people are enemies of Maharashtra. Even the last person in the village in Maharashtra feels that Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray should come together. We have welcomed Raj Thackeray’s role and Uddhav Thackeray has also responded positively to this. I will not answer what anyone from MNS said. Only if Raj Thackeray himself speaks something, we will understand,” Raut said.
When asked about Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s irritated reaction about Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray coming together, he said, “Shinde may be angry. Even Devendra Fadnavis must also be angry inside. We know how the BJP feels about it. What is the need for the Shinde group to talk about Raj and Uddhav, when Amit Shah is their real party chief? They (Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena) should listen to Amit Shah.”