Shiv Sena backs Raj Thackeray on 'Throw out Muslims from Pak & B'desh' but slams two flags

After MNS chief Raj Thackeray called for 'throwing out Muslims from Bangladesh & Pakistan', Shiv Sena on Saturday, backed the remark but slammed the MNS' change in flag through its mouthpiece Saamana. Taunting Raj's change in stance from 'Marathi manoos' to 'Hindutva' as he was unable to garner the Marathi votes, Sena claims that the MNS chief was now singing BJP's tunes. Reaffirming Sena's Hindutva, it claimed that inspite of the two flags unfurled by MNS, there may not be any resonance to MNS' Hindutva as Sena had been working on spreading Hindutva for decades.

GAMECHANGER: Shiv Sena invites Rahul Gandhi to Ayodhya; 'allies should also come with us'

Saamana slams Raj's two flags but backs 'infiltrators' comment

Slamming the BJP for attempting to split the Hindutva vote by using Raj Thackeray, Sena said that Raj had now backed the amended Citizenship Act (CAA), but had opposed it just a month ago. Fearmongering over CAA, Sena claimed that the act would not only affect Indian Muslims but Hindus too - citing cases from Assam NRC. Questioning the Centre's preparedness to accommodate the new refugees, Sena said that the BJP was expressing its 'jealousy diarrhoea' through other means.

My Hindu brothers & sisters...: Raj Thackeray makes big statement in one word, crowd roars

MNS dons 'Hindutva' badge 

In a bid to replace its ally-turned-foe Shiv Sena, BJP is eyeing to rope in Raj Thackeray to rebrand the Sena's Hindutva flavour with Raj Thackeray's fiery brand. Flaunting his newfound Hindutva, Raj Thackeray had addressed his Maha Adheveshan rally on Thursday "My dear Hindu brothers and sisters," from his previous address' which usually began with--"My Marathi brothers and sisters". Moreover, the MNS chief has also two flags for the party - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Raj Mudra, which he has instructed is not to be used for elections and his older but saffronised flag. Raj also met with Former chief minister  Devendra Fadnavis, fuelling rumours of an alliance, Thackeray has also launched posters painted in saffron with lines that read 'Thought about the ideology of Maharashtra, resolve to create a Hindavi Swaraj’.

Raj Thackeray's big claim: New Saffron MNS flag a coincidence, not for elections

Sena's Ayodhya visit

To counter Raj's growing saffronisation, Uddhav Thackeray announced that he along with several ministers will visit Ayodhya after completing 100 days of governance. While Sena MP Sanjay Raut invited allies -Congress and NCP to visit the Ram Temple including Rahul Gandhi, the allies have refused. The Shiv Sena which has agreed to a 'secular' joint Common Minimum Programme with its allies Congress-NCP, is often in a fix in matters related to Hindutva like Ayodhya Ram Mandir, Bharat Ratna for Savarkar and Maratha pride.

Raj vs Uddhav: On Bal Thackeray's birth anniversary MNS, Sena vie for his Hindutva legacy