Friday, August 19 2005 14:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Mentioning for the first time about his meeting with Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Raj to resolve their difference, Sena Chief Bal Thackeray today (August 19, 2005) said the two party leaders would jointly take decisions on important matters of the party.

In an article in party mouthpiece 'Saamna', Thackeray said that at the meeting with the two young leaders on August 17, 2005, it was decided that Uddhav, Raj and other party leaders would together decide on important organisational matters.

"Besides, on important occasions, Uddhav and Raj will sit together and take decisions which are in the interests of the party," he added.

"All of us, right from myself, are supporters of Shiv Sena. So, nobody should indulge in groupism," Thackeray said.

He also said that former Sena leader Narayan Rane, who was removed from the party, had been indulging in 'poisonous' campaign against Uddhav.

Meanwhile, an editorial in the paper, which is edited by Thackeray, blamed media for creating the recent controversy following Raj's remarks that some 'inactive' office-bearers in the Sena should be removed from their posts.

"The tree of Shiv Sena has spread far and wide in the state. Till now, there were attempts by our opponents to cut its branches. When that failed, they tried to attack its trunk but even that has failed," it said.

"Nobody from the Thackeray family was ever interested in occupying posts of power. On the contrary, we gave posts like MLA, MP and Chief Minister to common party workers," it said.