Thackeray was planning to quit as Maharashtra CM after meeting Modi last year: Sena rebel camp

Mumbai, 5/8: Uddhav Thackeray was planning to quit as Maharashtra Chief Minister last year after talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Shiv Sena’s rebel faction claimed on Friday. Deepak Kesarkar, a spokesperson of rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, said for Thackeray his relations with Modi were more important that holding on to the top post.

However, the Thackeray camp of the Sena sought to make light of Kesarkar’s comments, saying he has been making self-contradictory statements and sounds “confused”.

Kesarkar said a lot of Shiv Sena leaders were “pained” at attempts to “malign” then-Cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray’s image by BJP MP and Union minister Narayan Rane by dragging him in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. Kesarkar said he established contact with Modi and started a line of communication. “After Uddhav ji met Modi ji (in June last year), it was decided that he will quit (as CM) in the next 15 days because for him his relations (with PM) were more important (than holding post). But it was realised that he needed more time to convince his party workers,” he said.