Speaking at a public rally he posed a question to Thackeray asking whether he was right or wrong.
Raj said: "Thackeray said in his speech recently that I had made Uddhav the working president of the Sena during my visit to Mahableshwar and that Thackeray did not know about it. If this is correct, then Thackeray should say whether I was right or wrong? If I was wrong why is Uddhav still the party working president, and if I was right then why is he criticizing me?" Raj said.
This is the first time Raj spoke against his uncle, who groomed him as a politician. "I have the highest respect for my uncle and I would continue to hold him in high esteem. Thackeray has alleged that I copy his style. I had played in his lap and remained with him since my childhood, hence it is bound to have an impact on me. Thackeray used to take me in every rally but did not allow his son Uddhav to accompany him," Raj said
Commenting on Thackeray's allegation that Raj was instrumental in making Uddhav the working president of the party, Raj said: "When I did not even have the powers to propose or nominate a local chief, how could I make Uddhav the working president of the party? The truth is that it was Thackeray's own decision to nominate his son to the top post, because Thackeray feared and felt that I may come in the way of Uddhav. Realizing the uneasiness of Thackeray on the issue, I proposed Uddhav's name at the party meet in Mahableshwar. But I am surprised by Thackeray's statement at the Dussehra rally, that he had no knowledge of his son being nominated for the working president post," Raj said.
Attacking his critics, Raj said: "It has become a norm for my opponents to criticize me and the MNS. Some refer to the MNS as the test-tube baby of Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar. Yes, MNS is not only the test-tube baby but the tested baby. Whatever I say, I speak with complete confidence. And accordingly, the Kalyan-Dombivili Municipal Corporation would have a MNS mayor," Raj said.
