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Shiv Sena split : Raj Thackeray quits |
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Three days after meeting Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray, his nephew and dissident leader Raj Thackeray quit the party on Sunday, Dec. 18. This is the first fissure in the Thackeray family which has controlled the party till now. Raj Thackeray said he will announce the formation of a new political outfit early next year. He told a Press conference, “I sought respect, but all I got was humiliation.”
Once seen as a natural heir to Bal Thackeray, Raj Thackeray’s departure is the biggest blow to the party since its inception in 1966. So far, the Shiv Sena has split twice. The first to part ways was Chhagan Bhujbal in 1992 and the second and most recent was Narain Rane in July this year.
Earlier, all moves for a patch up between Bal Thackeray and his former protege failed. The meeting between the two was arranged by former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi in an effort to bring about a peaceful solution to the crisis in the party. In another attempt to persuade Raj Thackeray to soften his stand, Bal Thackeray despatched his former daughter-in-law, Smita Thackeray, to meet him on Friday, Dec. 16. The two met for 45 minutes at Raj Thackeray’s residence. But this also did not yield any positive outcome.
On Saturday, December 17, Raj Thackeray held marathan meetings with his supporters over his future moves. A close confidant of the rebel said, “We will start from scratch. Rajji wants a political outfit with a sold mass base, especially in rural areas where the youth are disillusioned with pro-establishment political parties like Congress and NCP.”
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