Uddhav ordered attack on Manohar Joshi's house: Sarvankar

A day after joining Congress, former Shiv Sainik Sada Sarvankar on Friday alleged that party executive chief Uddhav Thackeray ordered the recent attack on the residence of former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi.

A day after joining Congress, former Shiv Sainik Sada Sarvankar on Friday alleged that party executive chief Uddhav Thackeray ordered the recent attack on the residence of former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi.

HT Image

"Uddhav gave us the orders to attack Joshi's house," Sarvankar, who was elected to the Assembly in 2004 on a Sena ticket, said in Mumbai.

On September 20, Sarvankar's supporters demonstrated violently outside the senior Sena leader's Shivaji Park residence, accusing him of being responsible for refusal of ticket to him.

Peeved at denial of ticket from Mahim constituency for the October 13 Assembly elections, Sarvankar quit the Sena and joined Congress in the presence of Industry Minister Narayan Rane, a former Sena chief minister. Congress has fielded Sarvankar from the Mahim seat.

"We were told that (my) ticket has been cut by Joshi and to attack his house," Sarvankar said. Asked who had given the orders, Sarvankar said, "Uddhav ordered the attack on Joshi's house."

Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe described Sarvankar's allegations as "a result of frustration and the thoughts of an abnormal mind".

"Uddhavji has faced many such ludicrous allegations and come out unscathed. Joshi is like a 'guru' (teacher) to all Shiv Sainiks. After the election results, Sarvankar will realise the folly of his absurd allegations," Gorhe said.