Rebellion in Shiv Sena unmasked hatred against us, says Aaditya Thackeray

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday said relentless critical comments coming out of the rebel camp in Maharashtra have only unmasked their hatred and jealousy against the party leadership and his family.

Speaking to reporters, he said ''traitors'' have gone away and those who feel Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is a good human being are still with the party, which lost power last month after a section of MLAs rebelled against the leadership.

Asked about reasons behind rebel Sena MLAs as well as other leaders making several allegations against Uddhav Thackeray, the former state minister said, ''This rebellion has unmasked their hatred, jealousy and anger against us. The truth is thus coming out. It also means everyone of them (rebels) used to lie when they claimed to have respect towards the Thackeray family.'' Hitting out at the rebels, Aaditya Thackeray, the son of Uddhav Thackeray, said ''The traitors have gone away from us, but original Shiv Sena workers are still with the party.'' The Sena leader was a cabinet minister in the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government headed by his father.

On Sena MP Rahul Shewale's statement in New Delhi that then-chief minister Thackeray had expressed readiness to realign with former ally BJP and had made a lot of efforts in that direction last year, Aaditya Thackeray indicated he does not give credence to the claim.

“Everyone has right to speak and make comments. If you all remember well, then-deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and Congress leader Ashok Chavan were there,'' he said, apparently referring to a meeting where Uddhav Thackeray is said to have expressed willingness to patch-up with the BJP.

The Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena has rejected Shewale's claim.

The junior Thackeray also took a swipe at deputy chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, who in a video few days ago, was purpotedly seen taking away the mike placed in front of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at a press meet in Mumbai.

Commenting on the incident, he said, “One should not forget that our deputy chief minister never took away the mike from then-chief minister Thackeray.” Aaditya Thackeray's attack on the rebels came on a day when Shinde said Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has recognised Shewale as the Shiv Sena leader in the Lower House of Parliament.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Shinde, who led the rebellion last month, said Shiv Sena MPs have supported his stand to uphold the ideals of party founder Bal Thackeray.

The Shiv Sena has 19 MPs in the Lok Sabha of whom 12 are lending their support to the Shinde camp.