Raj Thackeray sees NCP chief Sharad Pawar's hand in Maharashtra political crisis

"What has happened in the state is very disgusting....This is nothing but an insult to the voters of the state," Raj Thackeray said.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Tuesday claimed that the political developments in Maharashtra could have the blessings of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar himself. He was talking to reporters here about NCP leader Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs joining the Shiv Sena-BJP government in the state on Sunday, splitting the Sharad Pawar-led party.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray (PTI)

"What has happened in the state is very disgusting....This is nothing but an insult to the voters of the state," Raj Thackeray said. "Sharad Pawar started all these things in Maharashtra. He first experimented with `Pulod' (Purogami Lokshahi Dal) government back in 1978. Maharashtra had never witnessed such political scenarios ever. All these things started with Pawar, and ended with Pawar," he added.

The MNS chief then claimed that Sharad Pawar himself could be behind the recent developments. "Praful Patel, Dilip Walse-Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal are not the ones who will go with Ajit Pawar (on their own and without Pawar senior's blessings)," he said.