A rebel Shiv Sena MLA from Maharashtra's Aurangabad district on Tuesday alleged that a "coterie" of four people surrounding Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is responsible for the rebellion in the party.
Speaking to reporters a day after the Eknath Shinde-led government comfortably won the floor test, Vaijapur MLA Ramesh Bornare said Shivsainiks are happy with Shinde becoming the chief minister.
He evaded a query on whether development works in his constituency remained stuck in the last 2.5 years when Thackeray was in power.
"Notably, 50 MLAs have left (to join the Shinde camp) en masse. But I don't blame Uddhav Thackeray for this situation. A group of four people around him is responsible. They mistreated Shiv Sena MLAs," he said without taking names. "Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray is our ideal and we cannot forget the Thackeray family."
He said he had joined the Shinde faction to ensure that five major issues in the Vaijapur segment are resolved.
"If these issues are not addressed, voters will not forgive me in 2024 (elections)," Bornare added. Referring to the protests held against rebel MLAs in the Aurangabad district when they were camping with Shinde in Guwahati, Bornare said the agitating Shivsainiks were misled. PTI