Udhav to Raj: Did Rane draft speech?

Shiv Sena Executive President Udhav Thackeray on Sunday night hit back at his estranged cousin Raj's revolt against his leadership and asked if expelled party leader and Congressman Narayan Rane drafted the latter's remarks.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting of senior party leaders convened by Sena supremo Bal Thackeray at his Matoshree residence, Udhav criticised the attack on the car of Sena MP and party mouthpiece Saamna Editor Sanjay Raut, considered close to Udhav, and alleged assault on former Sena MLC Shishir Shinde outside Raj's house in Dadar saying 'Sena will not tolerate such attacks'.

Udhav said if his cousin had some misgivings, he should sort it out with Sena supreme Bal Thackeray. He said Sena supporters and Marathi people in the state were 'pained' by the allegations made by Raj against him.

Referring to the attacks on Raut's car, he said, "The muscle power they showed should have been present in just-concluded Malwan assembly by-election."

Rane had won the Malwan bypoll on a Congress ticket defeating Sena candidate Parshuram Uparkar.

Ridiculing the speech made by Raj at a rally of his supporters where he had attacked the Sena executive president, Udhav wondered whether Narayan Rane who was expelled from the party in July drafted it.

Udhav said he has answers to all allegations made by his cousin but would maintain patience.

He said Sena supporters and Marathi people in the state were 'pained' by the allegations made by Raj.

"I would like to assure them that I am son of the Sena chief, and would not betray their trust. I have the blood of the Sena chief flowing in me, and I would not do anything that would hurt the Sena supremo," Udhav said.

Udhav said if Raj has some misgivings, he should come to the Sena chief and get them sorted out. "He is free to go his way if he feels that his misconceptions are not addressed," he added.

Replying to a question, Udhav said the Sena chief had summoned Raj to meet him on Saturday.

However, Raj said that he was having stomach problem and promised to visit on Sunday, but left for Nasik instead.

Reacting to Raj's statement that the Sena chief was like a God to him, Udhav said he also revered the party chief in the same way and would not like the God to let go in the hands of 'thieves and criminals'.