Raj quits Sena, to float new party

He was known as the organisational brain of the Shiv Sena. But today, claiming that all he had got was humiliation when what he sought was respect, Raj Thackeray formally severed ties with the Sena.

He announced he would form a new political outfit next year. Speaking to reporters at the Shivaji Park in central Mumbai Thackeray said: "After I announced my decision to quit all Sena posts, several party MPs, MLAs and corporators contacted me saying they are with me. But I do not want to create my party by breaking the Sena," he said and added he would not join any existing party.

In a letter to Sena chief Bal Thackeray on November 25, Raj said he had written that "under the leadership of his cousin and Sena executive chief Uddhav Thackeray, the party was sinking and Uddhav should be held accountable for party's debacle in Malvan Assembly by-election".

"No such thing happened. The Sena, with Uddhav and his coterie taking all decisions, has been floundering in the past six-seven years," Raj said.

"When I met my uncle Bal Thackeray at his residence on December 15, he proposed that I look after Pune, Nasik and Konkan regions, a proposal which I rejected," Raj said.

"That was not the proposal of the Sena chief but of someone else," he said in an apparent reference to Uddhav. Raj said: "I want to set up a new party to realise the dream of the Sena chief for Maharashtra and also my dream for the state."

Explaining the delay of 20-days in announcing his decision, he said, "you are aware of the phase that I was passing through. On the one hand was my party and on the other my home".

"The Sena chief was, is and will be my god," he said and equated Bal Thackeray once again with Lord Vitthal. Asked if the "temple" (political party) he would set up in the name of his Lord Vitthal would succeed, Raj said, "I will make all efforts."

"In my letter, I also told him that the Sena should be restructured to regain the lost glory. For this, your time starts now," Raj said.

The rebel leader said he would undertake a tour of Maharashtra and after that would make public policies and ideologies of his new party. "After I announced my decision to quit party posts, I had received two-three phone calls from the Sena chief but I refused to answer them," Raj said.

When asked what would happen to his ties with the Thackeray family, Raj said, "How do I know what is in store for future?" About the Sena chief's reaction when he spurned his proposal, Raj said, "This is a very personal thing. May be he did not like what I had to say".

To a query, he said no name has so far been decided for his new political outfit. Reacting to the final parting of ways with his cousin, Uddhav said the party would carry on, implying the development would have no impact.

He said he was "sad" his cousin had left the party. "Raj took this decision out of misunderstanding," Uddhav said.

Referring to allegations by Raj that he was leading a political group in the Sena, Uddhav said: "I have never encouraged groupism in the party. At no place in Maharashtra have I allowed my supporters to indulge in groupism".

About the 15 December meeting between the Sena chief and Raj, which failed to resolve the crisis in the party, Uddhav said Raj should have made clear his demands.

On Raj's statement that he was asked by the Sena chief to take care of the Pune, Nasik and Konkan region, which he rejected, Uddhav said Raj should have told the latter what he wanted.