Stung by defeat, Bal Thackeray snaps ties with Raj

Mumbai: In a not too unexpected development, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray severed all ties with his nephew Raj Thackeray, who had walked out of the fold three years ago to form the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) that severely dented the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance in the state in the general elections.

"Anybody who is an enemy of the Marathis is my enemy," Bal Thackeray said in a statement.

This was a clear reference to the electoral reverses suffered by the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance as MNS candidates in the fray had eaten into their traditional vote banks.

Reacting to the development, MNS vice president V Saraswat said since it was an issue between an uncle and his nephew, no one had the right to comment on it.

At the same time, he said the MNS was as concerned about the interests of Marathis as anyone else in the state.