The enmity between the Thackeray cousins touched a new low on Tuesday with Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav, in a veiled attack, calling Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj a traitor.
"A person who lived, grew up and ate (namak khaya) in 'Matoshree' (house of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray) has now become a traitor. The mute animals living in the forests are better than such turncoats," Uddhav said in an obvious reference to Raj but without naming his cousin.
The acidic reaction came in response to Raj's off-the-cuff advice to the photographer Uddhav: "Instead of going to neighbouring states and clicking pictures of animals, it would serve better to click photos of the potholes in Mumbai roads."
Raj was speaking to mediapersons in Mumbai Monday after he met Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad earlier in the day.
Raj, who last month went on a 10-day study tour of Gujarat, also expressed his party's support to Modi as prime minister.
Stung by Raj's criticism, especially since the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party combine rules the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Uddhav said: "I feel happier to click pictures of mute animals in the forests. Some 'animals' have nothing better to do than talk nonsense."
Uddhav further said that a person who has no independent status gets himself photographed with famous personalities to get publicity.
He also castigated Raj for allegedly 'speaking ill of Maharashtra in a different state' and thereby lowering the prestige of Maharashtra.
Raj has stoutly denied he ever made any disparaging remarks on the state.
"The potholes of Mumbai are famous all over India through the news channels," he pointed out.