Mumbai, December 18
Three weeks after he quit all posts in the Shiv Sena in protest against being sidelined, Raj Thackeray today formally walked out of the party.
Making the announcement at the Shivaji Park Gymkhana, near the venue where his uncle and Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray holds his public rallies, Raj said he would form his own political outfit in New Year.
Though he continued to hit out at cousin and Bal Thackeray’s son Uddhav, he maintained a tone of reverence for the supremo. “I have learnt politics from Balasaheb and I will use my new political party to build the Maharashtra of Balasaheb’s dreams,” he said.
Even while he praised his uncle, Raj sent out enough hints that 80-year-old Bal Thackeray was losing his grip on the Shiv Sena.
About his meeting with Bal Thackeray last week, he said he was advised to look after Pune, Nashik and the Konkan region, leaving Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra to Uddhav.
Insinuating that Uddhav was manoeuvering his father from behind the scenes, he said, “It was clear that someone else was behind Balasaheb’s advice to me.”
He said Uddhav was destroying the Shiv Sena. “The Shiv Sena is sinking under the leadership of Uddhav,” he had written to his uncle earlier.
“But no corrective measures have been taken and Uddhav and his coterie continues to take all decisions,” Raj said.
Raj claimed to enjoy the support of several MPs and MLAs of the Shiv Sena though only one MLA, Bala Nandgaonkar from Mumbai attended the conference.
“I do not want to create my party by breaking the Sena,” he insisted. He went onto say that he had been hoping for a peaceful settlement for the past three weeks after he quit all posts in the party.
“You are aware of what I was going through. On the one hand was my party and on the other my home,” he said.
Supporters of Raj Thackeray, including sons of several Shiv Sena leaders on the opposite side, were there to cheer him. Several hundred
supporters of Raj greeted his announcement by bursting crackers. He said he would announce the formation of the new party after undertaking a tour of the state in the coming weeks.Clearly hurt by Raj Thackeray’s announcement, Uddhav Thackeray said he was saddened. “Whatever I have done till today is only for the Shiv Sena, not for myself,” he said.
He, however, insisted that Raj was a victim of misunderstanding. “Not only me, but Bal Thackeray and all Hindus have also been saddened by his decision,” Uddhav said.
He insisted that Bal Thackeray was still in control of the Shiv Sena. “Although Bal Thackeray wears goggles, it does not mean that he is asleep....the final decision in the party affairs is that of the Sena chief,” Uddhav said.
Meanwhile, rivals of the Shiv Sena could not hide their glee over the developments. “At first, leaders and workers left the Shiv Sena, now even Thackeray’s family members are leaving. Soon there will be nothing left of the Sena,” Congress leader and former Shiv Sena leader Chhagan Bhujbal said.
