Three weeks after quitting party posts, rebel Shiv Sena leader Raj Thackeray today resigned from the primary membership of the party, saying he was going to launch a new political outfit ‘‘for the welfare of Maharashtra’’. His move may weaken the Sena, causing a split in the rank and file.‘‘I had no other option,’’ Raj told reporters in Mumbai. ‘‘I can’t join any other party because I was groomed by Shiv Sena Pramukh (Bal Thackeray) and my complaints over the way the party was being run for the past six-seven years have had no effect. The morale of Shiv Sainiks is down and Sena’s popularity has decreased. So I thought of floating a party in the interest of Maharashtra.’’Racting to his cousin’s decision, Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, said it ‘‘won’t make any difference to the party.’’ ‘‘I feel sad, as do lakhs of Shiv Sainiks across the state, but the Shiv Sainiks have faith in Balasaheb. Many corporators, MLAs and MPs have called me up to express support for the party. But our doors are still open for Raj,’’ he said.Earlier, Raj recalled his meeting with the Sena chief. ‘‘When I met the Sena Pramukh (on December 15), he proposed that I should only look after Pune, Nashik and Konkan. And the way he said, it was Konkan in inverted commas. Why Konkan? I told him that there was a fundamental difference between the way I think and the way Uddhav thinks. Therefore, it is not possible for us to work together.’’Raj, however, said that he had the highest regards for Bal Thackeray. ‘‘Shiv Sena Pramukh was, is and will continue to be my deity. My thoughts won’t change.’’He is likely to launch his new party at a rally at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park next month.
