Mumbai:
Raj Thackeray will not be by his cousin Uddhav's side when he is discharged from the Lilavati Hhospital tomorrow after undergoing an angioplasty. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief is suffering from back pain and has been advised rest by the doctors.
Uddhav, who is the executive president of Shiv Sena, underwent the procedure on Friday to remove three blockages in his arteries. And his younger cousin Raj was at the hospital with him throughout the procedure. The last few days have seen the two estranged cousins coming together, fuelling speculation about a possible political reconciliation. Raj, however, insisted that the new closeness is a "personal matter".
In 2006, Raj quit the Shiv Sena to form his own party, the MNS. The split in the Thackeray family meant that the Shiv Sena's vote base split, allowing the Congress and NCP coalition to rule Maharashtra unhindered.
In yet another development, Maharashtra's deputy chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar called up Mr Thackeray yesterday to enquire about his health. Senior NCP leader Praful Patel even visited him at the hospital. Given the current stand-off between Congress and the NCP, the visit has the political circles abuzz.
The NCP is upset over what it says the Congress' 'unilateral' approach in 'decision making'. Mr Pawar is threatening to downgrade his relationship with the Congress by quitting the government and extending support from the outside. Sources in the government, however, say that friction between the allies in Mumbai could well be the reason behind the tension in Delhi.
Sources say there is a feeling that the NCP's ministers are being targeted in Maharashtra.