Newly-named Shiv Sena Leader in Lok Sabha Rahul Shewale said that Thackeray had allegedly discussed the issue of alliance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an hour and also with the party leaders."At our meetings recently, Thackeray had stated how he had made all possible efforts to rebuild the alliance with the BJP, but could not do it. He also asked us (MPs) to make our own attempts for a tie-up," Shewale added.He said that the Shiv Sena is "still part of National Democratic Alliance" since it has not given any letter snapping its ties with the BJP-led coalition at the Centre.The contentions by Shewale -- virtually accusing Thackeray of surreptitiously sabotaging the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress MVA alliance -- came in the presence of Shinde who announced the entry of 12 Lok Sabha MPs to his group on Tuesday evening.The statements kicked up a massive storm in the Shiv Sena and its allies who hit back rubbishing Shewale's utterances.
Dismissing the claims, Sena Chief Spokesperson and MP Sanjay Raut said that the alliance was broken in 2014 and 2019 by the BJP."We were together in the 2014 assembly polls, but the BJP broke the 'Hindutva alliance'. Later in 2019, the BJP snapped ties by going back on its promises. We wanted to have the alliance but it's the BJP which severed the ties. We are not responsible for it," Raut asserted.He questioned Shewale and other MPs who joined the Shinde Group today, that "how many of them spoke out when Uddhav Thackeray and his family were being reviled in the lowly language", and reiterated that the Sena chief took all major decision consulting his partymen and also the MVA leaders.Dismissing Shewale's revelations, Raut said Thackeray and Modi regularly talk as they have personal relations beyond the political, "so there is no need to attach any importance to such claims".Former minister Aditya Thackeray said a lot of news is floating around today even about the persons (Shewale) who made the claims in New Delhi on Tuesday."It is their hatred and jealousy for us and the party that is now coming out. In that meeting which they are referring to, even Ajit Pawar (NCP) and Ashok Chavan (Congress) were also present," pointed out Aditya, indicating that no such discussions took place exclusively between the Prime Minister and the then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.