Rediff

Mumbai, Jan 22: Baring his heart on the feud which split the Shiv Sena, its founder Bal Thackeray has said that he can "fight with outsiders, but not with those within the family".

Thackeray said this in an interview to Saamna, when his son Uddhav Thackeray was re-elected as the executive president of the Shiv Sena.

Though the Shiv Sena chief did not name Raj Thackeray, but from his answer it was clear that he meant him. Refusing to elaborate, Thackeray said, "Leave it. I don't want bring up the issue."

He was replying to a question on the adverse circumstance in which his son Uddhav had taken up the mantle of executive president and how he fared.

Praising Uddhav, the Sena supreme said, "Uddhav has taken Shiv Sena to newer heights and his work has been outstanding."

He said, "Uddhav has a disciplined style of working. If I have expanded the party, Uddhav has made it more cohesive with discipline."

"Just making a party big is not enough. What it also needs is strong discipline. That is what Uddhav has done. The decision to elect Uddhav has proved to be more than 100 per cent correct," he said.

He said Uddhav has given better shape to the party which he (Bal Thackeray) had founded.

The Sena chief also scotched all the rumours about his ill health and said he was fine. "Let the media speculate about my health. I am as fit as a fiddle," he added.