Shiv Sena crisis: Aaditya Thackeray appears to demean the work of watchmen, rickshaw drivers, paan shopkeepers!

Shiv Sena's political slugfest is getting murkier with each passing day. Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray have resorted to a language which doesn't befit the party they represent. In an apparent bid to demean the acts of rebels, Aditya Thackeray made a controversial statement on Monday.

"Many people told us that Congress & NCP will betray us but our people betrayed us. Many MLAs who were watchmen, rickshaw drivers, and paan shopkeepers - we made them Ministers. On 20th May, Uddhav Thackeray offered him (Eknath Shinde) the CM post & he did drama," ANI quoted Aaditya Thackeray as saying.

Many see this as an attempt to suggest that rebel leaders had no valid experience and qualities to be ministers just because they were once watchmen, rickshaw drivers, and paan shopkeepers. Little did he realise that hardworking people indulging in these professions are the people who vote for the party. Aditya Thackeray has no right to question the intelligence and understanding of people in these professions and jobs.

Aditya Thackeray was taking an apparent dig at Eknath Shinde who drove an auto-rickshaw before joining politics.

Such statements not only offend the hardworking people but also block any possibility of a compromise in the Shiv Sena.

Earlier today, in an open letter, rebel Shiv Sena MLA Deepak Kesarkar took offence at the language used against those who refuse to forsake the cause of Hindutva in Shiv Sena. "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," 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 Sanjay Raut who hasn't been elected by the people is set off to finish our party. Sanjay 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 Sanjay Raut's advice.

(With ANI inputs)