MNS has not taken votes of Shiv Sena, claims Raj Thackeray

October 6th, 2009 AURANGABAD - Shiv Sena senior leader Manohar Joshi has said that he would request party patron Balasaheb Thackeray to declare Uddhav Thackeray as the chief ministerial candidate. Addressing reporters here on Monday, Joshi said, "Balasaheb Thackeray decides on the chief ministership and we will definitely make a request to him to announce Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister candidate," Joshi said.

October 4th, 2009 MUMBAI - Senior Congress leader Narayan Rane on Sunday said that his party would benefit from the political squabble between Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirmana Sena (MNS) in Maharashtra. Highlighting the recent verbal duels between Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS supremo Raj Thackeray, Rane said that the dispute between the two brothers had weakened the prospects of both the parties in the upcoming state polls.

September 30th, 2009 MUMBAI - Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray Wednesday called his estranged nephew Raj Thackeray a "modern day Jinnah" playing into the hands of the Congress to divide the sons of the soil. In an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamna', Thackeray senior said there was no place for Marathis in the Congress that is seeking re-election for a third consecutive term.

July 14th, 2009 MUMBAI - In turf battle ahead of state polls in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena has promised houses in Mumbai to state's bona-fide residents. Having lost ground to its faction, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, over hardline political posturing, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray led a bunch of party activists and supporters to the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) head office demanding that non-Maharashtrians should be barred in that allotment of shelters.

July 9th, 2009 MUMBAI - Peeved by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's abrupt move to dissolve the party's women's wing, senior leader Shweta Parulekar returned to the Shiv Sena fold Thursday. Parulekar headed the MNS women's wing and was also the general secretary of the party, which is in the thick of preparations for the state assembly elections in October.

July 6th, 2009 MUMBAI - Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray was admitted to the Lilavati hospital on Monday for a routine check-up of his health. According to party sources, the 82-year-old Thackeray was admitted to hospital for a routine follow-up.

June 18th, 2009 MUMBAI - Shiv Sena supreme Bal Thackeray was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Lilavati Hospital here late Thursday evening after he complained of breathing problems, party sources said. According to a party office bearer, Thackeray, 83, was admitted to the hospital for a lung infection.

May 24th, 2009 MUMBAI - The Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena have both been electorally routed in Mumbai and in parts of Maharashtra in the recent general elections, but this has not stopped the Thackeray family from bringing its internal bickering out into the open. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has blamed his cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray for the Shiv Sena's poll debacle.

May 18th, 2009 MUMBAI - In a not too unexpected development, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray late Monday severed all ties with his nephew Raj Thackeray, who had walked out of the fold three years ago to form the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) that severely dented the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance in the state in the general elections. 'Anybody who is an enemy of the Marathis is my enemy,' Bal Thackeray said in a statement.

March 25th, 2009 MUMBAI - Beleaguered Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi, in a spot over his alleged 'hate speeches', Wednesday thanked Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray for supporting him and endorsing his views. 'I thank Bal Thackeray for his support,' Varun has been quoted as saying in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna.

March 20th, 2009 MUMBAI - The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) received a pre-election jolt when its sitting Lok Sabha member from Beed constituency walked over to the Shiv Sena here Thursday. The NCP's Jaisingrao Gaekwad Patil had trounced the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Prakash S.

March 8th, 2009 MUMBAI - After spending 11 days in hospital here, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray was discharged Sunday. His condition was described as 'fine' by a party spokesman.

February 27th, 2009 MUMBAI - Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray was Thursday admitted to Lilavati Hospital for what party office-bearers described as a 'routine medical check-up'. Thackeray, 82, who is said to be suffering from a minor lung infection, was scheduled to address a crucial party state executive committee meeting along with son Udhav, at the Rang Sharda Auditorium in Bandra.

February 27th, 2009 MUMBAI - Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray Friday morning called on his ailing estranged uncle, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, at the Lilavati Hospital here. After meeting the 82-year-old Shiv Sena chief, Raj Thackeray told reporters that his uncle's health had improved.

January 22nd, 2009 MUMBAI - Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray chose to have a quiet 83rd birthday Friday without the usual fanfare and celebrations in view of the Mumbai terror attack. The much anticipated launch of the Shiv Vada Paav, which was scheduled for Friday, has also been postponed, project leader Sanjay Gurav said.