National

Raj hits back at Shiv Sena

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday hit back at the Shiv Sena, which had likened him to a “bird flu-affected chicken having no market value.”

“If I am so small an entity, why was I given so much space,” he said, referring to an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna. Mr. Raj Thackeray left the saffron party two years ago to form the MNS.

“This is like the case of Jaya Bachchan...she does not know me but is aware of a piece of land purchased by me.”

The actor-MP had hit back at Mr. Raj Thackeray for his critical remarks against her husband and superstar Amitabh Bachchan and offered to build a school in the metropolis if the breakaway Sena group leader donated land.

Mr. Thackeray dismissed as “baseless” allegations that he had launched the anti-north Indian campaign to counter his cousin and Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, with whom he fell out in 2005.

Uddhav, son of Sena chief Bal Thackeray, of late has been making concerted efforts to woo north Indians, who number nearly 40 lakhs in the metropolis, even organising a function for them at the party headquarters here.

Meanwhile, reacting to the crossing over of 200 of his partymen to the Sena, the 39-year-old leader said, “I do not know who these people were but no one can quit due to the agitation being launched by me.” — PTI

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