In a big development, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) camp leader Sada Sarvankar has claimed that he was incited by former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut to attack former CM Manohar Joshi’s house in 2009, reported the news agency PTI. The Shinde Sena MLA apparently made the remarks during an address at a public function and the video is viral on social media. He said Uddhav Thackeray told him that he would not get a ticket for the 2009 assembly polls since Joshi had opposed it.
"I was told by Uddhav Thackeray to attack Joshi's residence because the latter had opposed my ticket. As I left with my workers, I received a call from Sanjay Raut instructing me to carry petrol," claimed the Mahim MLA in the video, as quoted by PTI.
'Thackeray Ordered To Burn Joshi's Residence'
Sarvankar said that after Thackeray's orders, he left for Joshi's residence with 15-20 party workers. While he was en route to Joshi's house, he got a call from Sanjay Raut asking him about his plans. According to ANI, Sarvankar claimed that Raut was already aware of the alleged plan to attack Joshi's residence. He added that Raut then asked him to get petrol from a nearby petrol pump and burn down Manohar Joshi's home.
The Sena leader further claimed that after the attack, he received a call from Milind Narvekar, a close aide of Uddhav Thackeray congratulating him for the attack. Narvekar called him to Matoshree, Uddhav's residence the next day at 11 am. Sarvankar said that Narvekar had also confirmed his candidature in the Assembly polls.
However, Sarvankar claimed that Uddhav Thackeray allegedly threw some newspaper pages at him when he reached Matoshree the next day showing anger over the coverage of Sada Sarvankar's attack on Manohar Joshi's house. Thackeray then allegedly declined to give him the ticket. He said that Sanjay Raut was also present at Matoshree during this incident.
Notably, Manohar Joshi’s residence in Mumbai's Shivaji Park area was attacked by a few Shiv Sena workers in September 2009, ahead of the state assembly elections, when Sarvankar was denied a ticket. Sarvankar then joined the Congress, but then again came back to Sena fold after a few years.
Sarvankar also claimed that Joshi did not complain to the police about the entire incident. He called Manohar Joshi his 'guru' and claimed he was instigated by Uddhav Thackeray and Raut and got his guru's house attacked.