Raj Thackeray hits out at uncle, Shiv Sena

Hitting out at his uncle and Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s comments about his mimicry, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray Monday said he has always fought all his battles like a man.

As the atmosphere is all charged up for the upcoming civic body elections Feb 16, Thackeray while addressing a massive gathering in south Mumbai counter commented on his uncle’s remark.

“Honourable Bala Saheb says I should stop being a mimic, and that I should fight like a man. I am fighting like a man. I always take things upfront and do not back bite,” he said.

“It is the Shiv Sena leaders who should learn to fight like a man. They have always taken to gimmicks and not me,” he added.

Taking a dig at Shiv Sena leaders, Thackeray lashed out by asking as to why the cable networks fail only when his speech is to be telecast live? “Where do bundles and bundles of newspapers that carry my speeches disappear,” he asked.

Raj Thackeray said that there are several examples where the Shiv Sena leaders have “stooped low”. “I want to tell honourable Bala Saheb that I never wanted to dig up these issues in public. But his comments about me left me with no other choice,” he said.

Bal Thackeray had, during his rally Saturday started off his speech by asking the gathering if he should mimic his nephew Raj Thackeray just like the latter “apes him” and also said that he should not mimic and fight like a man.

Raj Thackeray had also addressed a rally at the same venue in Thane Friday and had openly aped his uncle’s gestures and mannerisms.

In another dig on Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, Thackeray said that unlike Rahul who rides in open vehicles and waves his hand towards the masses during election campaigning, he dislikes doing so.