Will never forget Sena’s betrayal, says MNS chief

Mumbai: After losing six of its corporators, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray broke his silence and blasted the Shiv Sena and its chief Uddhav Thackeray. Terming it a ‘betrayal’, he accused the Sena of playing dirty politics and warned the Sena chief from taking any such step again in the future.

Six of the existing seven corporators from MNS were inducted into the Sena fold on Friday, a day after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) narrowed the gap separating it from the Sena, taking its own tally to 82 in the civic body.

The Shiv Sena’s strength in the 227-member Brihanmumbai Muncipal Corporation (BMC) has now risen to 90, eight more than the BJP. In the BMC polls held in February this year, the Sena had won 84 seats, and the BJP 82.

Reacting to the defection, the MNS chief said that it was not expected from the Sena. “The Sena has played dirty politics and the people of Maharashtra are unhappy with the buying of corporators from other parties. (The last Sena supremo) Balasaheb did not teach me such tricks. I will not forget this and they will realise it in the future,” Mr Thackeray told reporters at his residence on Sunday.

The MNS chief also alleged that the corporators were offered Rs 5 crore each to join the Sena. “For six corporators Rs 30 crore was given. From where did they (Sena) get this money? In fact, a Sena corporator called me and said that the party doesn’t give them a single rupee but is giving Rs 5 crore for those coming from other parties,” he said.  

Claiming that he had an inkling about the Sena’s offer to the corporators since a month, Mr Thackeray said he had asked one of the corporators to hold a meeting for all. “What will I do if you want to sell yourself in the market? What is the point in keeping people who are already corrupted?” he said.

Mr Thackeray added that if the Sena would have asked for the help, he would have sent all his corporators.