Raj, Uddhav fight to gain Jet mileage

Hours after Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal announced on Thursday night that the airline would take back all its sacked employees, a race ensued between the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s (MNS) Raj Thackeray and the Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray, with both claiming credit for the outcome.

Raj Thackeray hinted that his warning to Jet resolved the issue. “There is no need to describe who has done what for the Jet employees. They came to me spontaneously. I helped them on humanitarian grounds. I have not opened a restaurant, which will meet customers’ demands. I did what I felt was right and spoke in a tone, which they (Jet) understood,” he said.

On the other hand, Uddhav claimed Jet had to take the decision because of the Sena’s resistance. “Jet Airways’ decision to reinstate the employees is right. There was no need to pretend under the pretext of recession. Now they know the Sena’s strength,” he said.
“Goyal has announced a salary cut, but we will not allow the cutting of even Re1 from the salaries of permanent employees. They must get Diwali bonuses and ex-gratia payments. Henceforth, not only Jet, but no other management should pretend like this. They must remember that they will have to face the Shiv Sena.”

Raj said the credit for reversing Jet’s decision went to the employees’ union and media. He denied his party’s spokesperson Nitin Sardesai’s claim that Goyal had contacted him (Raj). “There was no conversation between me and Naresh Goyal.”