Gloves off as Shiv Sena rebel faction hurls 'yuvraj' barb at Aaditya Thackeray

Mumbai, August 27

With Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray intensifying attack on the rebel faction by calling them ‘gaddars’ (traitors), the dissidents have broken their pledge not to target any member of the Thackeray family and dubbed the former minister a “Yuvraj” (prince).

Legislators in the camp led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde feel that Aaditya Thackeray has “crossed the line” and is spreading lies against them and it is high time they hit back.

On Thursday, the dissident MLAs targeted Aaditya Thackeray, former minister and son of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, by displaying a banner against him on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan on the last day of the legislature session.

The banner read: “Yuvrajanchi disha chukli” (the prince has missed his path).

Aaditya Thackeray countered them by shouting “50 khoke, edum okay” implying that the rebel MLAs got money to switch their loyalties, leading to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led tripartite MVA government in June and Shinde taking oath as the chief minister.

On Wednesday, legislators of the ruling BJP and the Shinde loyalists staged a similar protest targeting former CM Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray.

They carried banners with messages alleging corruption in the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), controlled by Shiv Sena, and claimed the Thackerays compromised on Hindutva for power.

Some banners read: “Raja (a reference to Uddhav) stayed indoors due to fear of covid-19 while friends of the ‘Yuvraj’ (a reference to Aaditya) looted the treasury.”

They shouted slogans like “standing committee che khoke…’Matoshree’ okay,” alleging corruption in the BMC with the support of the Thackerays.

‘Matoshree’ is the private residence of the Thackerays in suburban Mumbai.