"If There Was Pressure, I Would...": Aaditya Thackeray Aide On Sena Switch

In a setback to the faction led by Uddhav Thackeray, a key leader Rahul Kanal quit the party and joined the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday. Rahul Kanal was considered to be a close aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray.  

Mr Kanal, who was raided by the Income Tax department last year, was part of the core committee of Aaditya Thackeray-led Yuva Sena.

Explaining his decision to quit the faction, Mr Kanal said that there was no pressure on him to join the Shiv Sena.

"Some claim my name is involved in corruption, but if there would have been any pressure against me, I would have joined long back," Mr Kanal told NDTV.

 He also said that he would quit politics if any of the corruption charges against him were proven.

On his association with Aaditya Thackeray, Mr Kanal claimed that it took him months to get the attention of the leader.

"I have been trying to speak to him for the last 4 months since I quit the Yuva Sena group because there were issues. But despite that, no one tried to contact me," Mr Kanal said.

"People call me a close aide of Aaditya Thackeray but it took me 4 months to get in touch with him. I don't know what common people would have to face," he added.

Last year, the Shiv Sena, which was then led by Uddhav Thackeray, was splintered into two factions after Mr Shinde, then a minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, triggered a rebellion in the ranks.

The Thackeray government eventually fell and the Shinde camp, with the support of the BJP, came to power.