Sanjay Raut to Eknath Shinde faction: 'Don't use Balasaheb, use your father's name'

Mumbai: In a vitriolic attack on the Shiv Sena rebels, Sanjay Raut, who is leading the firefight on behalf of Uddhav Thackeray, slammed the Eknath Shinde faction for naming the block 'Shiv Sena Balasaheb'. Bal Thackeray was Uddhav's father and the iconic Shiv Sena founder. The rebels have been trying to claim the late Sena founder's legacy by accusing Thackeray-led MVA government of going soft on the party's Hindutva push.

"Like Uddhav Thackeray said, don't use Balasaheb's name, use your father's name to seek votes. Those who are camping outside call themselves the devotees of Balasaheb Thackeray. Had they been the devotees of Thackeray, they would not have backstabbed the party," Raut said. 

Around 40 Shiv Sena MLAs, led by Eknath Shinde, are camping in a hotel in BJP-led Assam. They have demanded that Uddhav Thackeray end the Shiv Sena's "unnatural" alliance with the Congress and NCP, and enter into an alliance with the BJP.

On Saturday, Uddhav Thackeray had asked the rebels to not use his father's name. 

“Some people are asking me to say something but I’ve already said that they(rebel MLAs) can do whatever they want to do, I won’t interfere in their matters. They can take their own decision, but no one should use Balasaheb Thackeray’s name.”

The Eknath Shinde camp has said they will not merge with the BJP but form another block within the Shiv Sena.

Earlier this week, Sanjay Raut had said was in touch with 20 rebel MLAs who wanted to return to Maharashtra and join the Uddhav Thackeray camp. 

Meanwhile, in a cryptic tweet, Raut said, "How much time will you spend in Guwahati, ultimately you will have to return to Chowpati (Mumbai)'. 

With inputs from ANI