Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday said relentless critical comments coming out of the rebel camp in Maharashtra have only unmasked their hatred and jealousy against the party leadership and his family.
Speaking to reporters, he said "traitors" have gone away and those who feel Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is a good human being are still with the party, which lost power last month after a section of MLAs rebelled against the leadership.
Asked about reasons behind rebel Sena MLAs as well as other leaders making several allegations against Uddhav Thackeray, the former state minister said, "This rebellion has unmasked their hatred, jealousy and anger against us. The truth is thus coming out. It also means everyone of them (rebels) used to lie when they claimed to have respect towards the Thackeray family."
Hitting out at the rebels, Aaditya Thackeray, the son of Uddhav Thackeray, said "The traitors have gone away from us, but original Shiv Sena workers are still with the party." The Sena leader was a cabinet minister in the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government headed by his father.
Aaditya Thackeray's attack on the rebels came on a day when Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has recognised Rahul Shewale as the Shiv Sena leader in the Lower House of Parliament.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Shinde, who led the rebellion last month, said Shiv Sena MPs have supported his stand to uphold the ideals of party founder Bal Thackeray.
Shewale said, "Uddhav Thackeray was keen on realigning with the BJP, but went back on his word." The Shiv Sena has 19 MPs in the Lok Sabha of whom 12 are lending their support to the Shinde camp.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)