"Balasaheb Thackeray never wanted Raj Thackeray to leave": Maharashtra CM Shinde

New Delhi [India], August 18 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday claimed that Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray sidelined Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, adding that the Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray never wanted Raj Thackeray to leave the party.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, CM Shinde praised Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray.
"Sometimes I say, in my speech, when Uddhav ji said that 'Laadli bhen' has come, when will Laadla bhai come? He will come. So I brought Ladla bhai too for youth training. But I say to him that when Raj Thackeray ji was with him, what was the reason for him to leave Raj Thackeray ji? Raj Thackeray ji used to work with Balasaheb. Raj Thackeray used to attend all the meetings of the 1995 elections. He was next to him. Lekin jb Raj Thackeray ko responsibility daine ki baari aai toh Uddhav ji ki mansha jagrukt hogai," he said.
He said that Raj Thacleray was more willing to strengthen the Shiv Sena even after being removed from the party.
"Just like he had just become the Chief Minister and put Raj Thackeray aside. Unke mukh se bulvaya and prastav laya ki Uddhavji's Karyadhyaksha banaya aur unko hatta diya. Even after removing him, Raj Thackeray used to say, I will take the responsibility of the weak Shiv Sena but... And that is why, Raj Thackeray left. BabaSaheb Thackeray ki icchha nhi thi ki Raj Thackeray jaye (Bala sahab Thackeray's never wanted that Raj Thackeray to leave them)," Shinde said.
When asked why Raj Thackeray is not part of the coalition, CM Shinde said, "he is with us."
"In the previous Lok Sabha, he came to our stage. If we are not fighting together then he is not against us either. There is still time. I mean, he (Raj Thackeray) deserved it at that time. They were the ones who were working," he said.
Responding to the question that who will be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, CM Shinde said that presently our focus is to form the government of Mahayuti.
"Our team is working. Who will become the Chief Minister is not our focus, our focus is to form the government of Mahayuti," CM Shinde said.
Raj Thackeray announced 'unconditional' support to the Bharatiya Janata Party- Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party alliance for the Lok Sabha elections.
Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly are scheduled to be held later this year. However, the Election Commission of India has yet to announce the dates.
The tenure of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is scheduled to end in November.
The Mahavikas Aghadi, comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, which came to power in the state, collapsed after Eknath Shinde revolted and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with a bunch of MLAs. This led to the formation of the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction)-BJP government in the state.
Ajit Pawar, from the NCP, revolted against his party chief and joined hands with the BJP along with some of his party colleagues.
The state is now run by the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP.