Maharashtra political crisis: In a major revelation on Sunday, Maharashtra Minister and CM Uddhav Thackeray's son Aaditya Thackeray said that his father had offered the CM's post to now-rebel leader Eknath Shinde on May 20. The Sena leader had then not given a proper response, he said, adding that he created an anti-MVA government faction just a month later.
"However, at that time, Shinde had dilly-dallied, was evasive and did not give a proper response... I had heard of some murky goings-on... Exactly a month later on June 20, Shinde and his group started the rebellion in the party," said Thackeray Jr.
"I pity him, I am not angry. He could have rebelled in Thane or Mumbai and spelled out his ambitions instead of running away to Surat and then to Guwahati," he said.
He termed as "good riddance" that all the 'muck' has gone out of the party on its own, now leaving it clean, amid a thunderous round of applause.
Addressing the Sena workers in Mumbai for the second consecutive day, he also said that doors of the state and party are closed for the rebels MLAs. "Contest elections again, we will ensure you are defeated," the 30-year-old son of Sena president and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said.
Aaditya's veiled warning
Without naming the BJP, he said he felt ashamed that a party, which is in power at the Centre and Assam, have taken the MLAs from another ruling party from a different state and kept them in the north eastern state that is reeling under floods.
Addressing the party workers on Saturday, Aaditya had given a subtle warning to the party rebels, saying that the road from Mumbai airport to Vidhan Bhavan, the state legislature complex here, goes via Worli.
Worli, traditionally a Shiv Sena bastion in Mumbai, is the assembly constituency represented by Aaditya Thackeray.
"The road from the airport to the Vidhan Bhavan passes via Worli. It's good that the rebels left (Shiv Sena). There is no room for traitors in the party," he had said.
Aaditya has started holding meetings with the party workers and office-bearers from Saturday, which is being seen as a move to prevent any erosion of the cadre loyal to the Thackerays.
(With inputs from agencies)
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