Irked with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for mocking at Shiv Sena president and estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray’s offer to form an alliance before the 2014 assembly polls, Sena leader Manohar Joshi said that Raj has misinterpreted Uddhav’s comment.

“It is unfortunate that Raj has misinterpreted the first step taken towards him by the Sena. Uddhav has shown that he has an open mind,” Joshi said on Thursday.

The news of the union of the warring cousins gained momentum after Uddhav, in an interview in Sena mouthpiece Saamna, said that he was open to a discussion with Raj, if he showed the willingness to talk with an open mind.

Uddhav had said that it was important to understand why the two had split and contemplate on the issues between them.

However, in his rally in Kolhapur on Tuesday, Raj snubbed Uddhav by saying that such matters cannot be discussed in newspapers.

“Raj should have taken advantage of this offer, as it would have been politically beneficial for him,” Joshi said.

Joshi said that Raj’s reaction is bad news for the Marathi manoos and sons of the soil.

“It is disheartening that the Marathi manoos is not coming together to fight for a common cause. But, politics is always based on hope,” he said.