'When Uddhav Thackeray was admitted to hospital, Aaditya Thackeray was enjoying in Switzerland': Shiv Sena MP

On Wednesday, Lok Sabha MP Rahul Shewale accused Shiv Sena's Aaditya Thackeray of roaming around and enjoying himself in Switzerland when former state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray was admitted to hospital.

MP Shewale also added that Aaditya Thackeray took a female MP with him. "When the CM (then CM Uddhav Thackeray) was admitted to the hospital, this Yuvraj (Aaditya Thackeray) was roaming around and enjoying himself in Switzerland in the pub...I am here to tell you that though he kept talking about the environment, his foreign tour was industry-related," he said. 

As Environment Minister, Thackeray visited Davos to inaugurate the Maharashtra Pavilion at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on May 22, 2022.

Shewale's remarks came amid the show of strength of Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde on the occasion of Dussehra when both party leaders held their separate rallies.

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During the rally, Uddhav Thackeray said, "The only thing I feel angry about is that when I was admitted to the hospital, the people whom I gave the responsibility (of the state) became 'Katappa' and betrayed us... They were thinking that I will never return from hospital."

Reacting to his comments on October 5, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during his Dussehra replied to him over the 'Katappa' remark and said that even Katappa had self-respect and did not have double standards.

"They call me 'Katappa'. I want to tell you that even 'Katappa' had self-respect and did not have double standards like you," Shinde said.

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Slamming Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde also said that if Balasaheb Thackeray had been alive, Narayan Rane would have become the CM.

Notably, Balasaheb Thackeray's other son Jaidev Thackeray came to show his support and shared the stage with Shinde during the Dussehra rally at Mumbai's BKC ground on Wednesday.

CM Shinde paid tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray. 'Shashtr pooja' (worship of arms) was performed for the 51 feet sword for which a Mahant was called from Ayodhya in UP. 

CM Shinde further lauded his governance and said that while Uddhav Thackeray betrayed the people of Maharashtra and sold the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray, he brought about a revolution. "You point at us for stealing your father but you have sold your father and the packed ground here shows this," he said.