Raj Thackeray alleges Shiv Sena bribed MNS corporators, says ‘Will never forget It’

Two days after six corporators of Raj Thackeray led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) joined Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena in the Mumbai civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Raj Thackeray has alleged that Shiv Sena had paid a bribe of Rs 5 crore to each of the corporators to defect to Shiv Sena. 

"Late Balasaheb Thackeray never indulged in such dirty politics of money, when he was heading Shiv Sena. I left Sena only because of such dirty politics. I will never forget such low level of politics, where you take interest in splitting a party," said Raj Thackeray invoking Shiv Sena founder and his uncle late Bal Thackeray. 

He added that he had left the Sena in 2006 because of similar "dirty politics".

MNS corporators Dilip Lande, Archana Bhalerao, Snehal More, Datta Narvankar, Parashuram Kadam, and Ashwini Matekar had joined Shiv Sena in presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Their joining has given a big boost to the Shiv Sena by increasing the number of its corporators to 90 in the 227-member BMC. BJP has 82 corporators while MNS has been left with only one.

"Each MNS corporator has received Rs 5 crore from the Shiv Sena. It is a very low level of politics and I will never forget it," Raj Thackeray told reporters.

Raj said the corporators could have left the party with pride instead of accepting money.

The six corporators joined the Sena a day after the BJP won a civic bypoll in Mumbai by defeating the Sena candidate in suburban Bhandup.