Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray Wednesday claimed that before launching his rebellion last year, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had come to meet party leader Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree, the Thackerays’ residence in Mumbai.
In an interview with an English news channel, Aaditya said the 40 Sena MLAs who joined Shinde did so only to save their seats and for money.
Commenting on Eknath Shinde’s rebellion, Aaditya said, “There was no other reason to go there. The current chief minister came to Matoshree and cried saying the central investigation agency would arrest him. He said he will go with the BJP or he would be arrested.”
Sena MP Sanjay Raut also said Shinde was under pressure of central agency action and more than half of the MLAs were under the radar of central investigating agencies like ED and CBI and hence they joined the rebellion.
Raut said a similar attempt is now being made with the NCP’s MLAs to break them.
“What Aaditya said is right. He (Shinde) was under ED’s radar and was afraid of action and getting arrested. He had expressed the same to me also by coming to my residence. We tried to convince him and told him not to be afraid and face the situation. We should fight. We are Sainiks of Balasaheb. But he caved in,” Raut said.
After the split in the Sena, the two factions have been indulging in attacks and counter-attacks, with leaders from both sides joining in.