'I don't read Saamana and Marmik': MNS chief Raj Thackeray

On Monday, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj said he does not read Saamana' and 'Marmik' anymore, both publications associated with his family and for which he has contributed earlier.

‘Saamana’ was the party mouthpiece of the undivided Shiv Sena and was started by the late Balasaheb Thackeray.

It is now controlled by the Uddhav Thackeray faction since the split in June last year after a rebellion by Eknath Shinde, who went on to become Maharashtra's chief minister.

'Marmik', a magazine dedicated to cartoons, was founded by Bal Thackeray and his brother Shirkant Thackeray, who is the father of the MNS chief. It was set up much before the establishment of the Shiv Sena in 1966.

Questioned on whether he reads 'Saamana or Marmik', the MNS chief replied in the negative, though he added that he gets the former at his residence.

"There is no news in news.

papers these days. (Television news) channel cannot be watched," he rued Recently, the Election Commission declared the faction-led Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena and gave it the bow and arrow symbol.