Balasaheb did not use Hindutva to break parties: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray

Aaditya Thackeray. File Pic

Balasaheb Thackeray did not use Hindutva to break other parties, his grandson and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said on Saturday in an attack on former ally BJP, reported the PTI.

Addressing party workers in central Mumbai, Aaditya Thackeray said that his party colleagues were being targeted by investigating agencies as the Shiv Sena (UBT) had held a press conference to highlight what he said was a wrong order by Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar in the case pertaining to disqualification of MLAs, as per the PTI.

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Post the split in the Shiv Sena in June 2022 following a rebellion by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, who went on to become chief minister, both factions had petitioned the speaker seeking disqualification of MLAs from the other side under anti-defection laws.

Rahul Narwekar, in his order, held that CM Shinde's faction was the real Shiv Sena and did not disqualify any MLA from either camp.

"Ravindra Waikar, Kishore Pednekar, Rajan Salvi are being hounded by probe agencies and are being given threats so that they join the Eknath Shinde group. These leaders have nothing to hide and, hence, have remained loyal (to Uddhav Thackeray)," he claimed, according to the PTI.

He asked his party workers to ensure not a single "traitor", a term he often uses for those in the Shinde camp, wins Lok Sabha, Assembly or even civic polls.

"When my opponents target me, I feel energised because I know my criticism has hit them and that I am on the right path. My grandfather (Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray) never used Hindutva to indulge in politics, corruption or to break parties," he asserted, as per the news agency.

Attacking Rahul Narwekar, Aaditya said the order that CM Shinde's faction was the real Shiv Sena was bogus, the PTI reported on Saturday.

The order was written as per the "BJP's constitution and not Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution", Aaditya Thackeray claimed.

"I dare the speaker to file a contempt case against me or hang me. This political fight is long and is important in order to save democracy," he added, news agency report stated.

Democracy is over in Maharashtra and industries were moving to neighbouring Gujarat, Aaditya Thackeray alleged.

He also accused Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner IS Chahal of corruption and said he will be sent to jail when his party comes back to power in the Assembly polls later this year.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) along with the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

(with PTI inputs)