Rebel Shiv Sena MLA Deepak Kesarkar has written an open letter saying that their action “is not a rebellion but a fight for Shiv Sena’s self-respect” and urged party chief Uddhav Thackeray to make a new alliance with BJP.
Kesarkar said that the BJP- Shiv Sena alliance is in line with the verdict given by the people of Maharashtra. “Over the last five days, we are witnessing an upheaval in Maharashtra politics. Suddenly, we, the Shiv Sainiks of Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena have become villains. Those who got elected to the Rajya Sabha because of us, are now abusing us every day. We are called dirty pigs; much disturbing abuse is coming our way, so much so that our dead bodies are now awaited! And that is the crux of the matter; so, the real reason we have stationed ourselves in Guwahati is to strengthen ours and the Shiv Sena’s true voice. This is not a rebellion but a fight for Shiv Sena’s self-respect… I request party chief Uddhav Thackeray to consider and make a new alliance with BJP. BJP- Shiv Sena alliance is in line with the verdict given by the people of Maharashtra,” he said.
The letter targeted Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and said he has “committed the heinous crime of distancing Uddhavji from us”. Congress and NCP are allies of Shiv Sena in the MVA government which is battling for its survival in Maharashtra. “It is unfortunate that Raut, who hasn’t been elected by people, is set off to finish our party. Raut is NCP’s blue-eyed boy. You may succeed in distancing the Shiv Sena from the BJP but if you are trying to distance the Shiv Sena from Hindutva, how do you expect us to tolerate it?” the letter said.
The letter alleged that the party was “being run” on Raut’s advice. “NCP fires the gun from Raut’s shoulder and who does the bullet hit? Not enemies of our party but loyalists like us,” it said.
The letter said Balasaheb›s basic mantra and “most important lesson to us had been that focusing on Hindutva was above any alliances and this teaching will stay with us till eternity”. “Even if we die, we would like to die fighting to safeguard Hindutva,” Kesarkar said.
He said there were provocations by NCP and Congress during the MVA rule but they followed “the path told by our leader”. “But now, the water is way over our head. Limits are crossed. Today, if at our cost, NCP and Congress are enjoying power and simultaneously making efforts to finish the very foundation of our party, it is not acceptable to us at all,” he said.