MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Monday said that he is willing to take 100 forward steps for his uncle Balasaheb Thackeray, but will not take a single step forward for Uddhav Thackeray and his “unworthy” coterie.
Mr Bal Thackeray, in an interview, had said that he was will accept Mr Raj Thackeray back in Shiv Sena provided he takes the first step forward. Mr Raj Thackeray responded to it in his election rally held at Worli.
“Leaving Shiv Sena was painful for me also. When I left, I had no idea that I would be forming a new party,” he said. “Balasaheb said that his doors are open for me. My doors are also open for him. If he calls me tomorrow, I will rush to meet him. He wants me to take one step forward, I will take 100 steps forward for him. I have and will always love and respect Balasaheb. But I will not take even one step for Uddhav and his unworthy people.”
Mr Raj Thackeray also said that though it was not related to BMC elections, he would still clarify to people why he left Shiv Sena because Balasaheb has started the issue. “From 2001 to 2003, I was away from politics. For three years, Balasaheb never enquired about him. But he called me in 2004 and told me to campaign for the party for 2004 election. Shiv Sena wanted me for campaign, but I had no role to play in the party. I never asked for Mumbai or any other city. In fact, I told Balasaheb to give me responsibility of such a place where Shiv Sena has no existence and I will create a world from zero.”
However, Sena chief Bal Thackeray, who addressed another rally at the same time at Bandra, chose not to say anything about his nephew.
In fact, when a section of crowd in the Sena rally shouted anti-Raj slogans, senior Thackeray advised them to ignore Mr Raj Thackeray and said, “Let it be, to each his own.”