Friday, December 16 2005 10:25 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The much-awaited meeting between rebel Shiv Sena leader Raj Thackeray and his uncle and party supremo Bal Thackeray here yesterday (Dec 15, 2005) failed resolve the crisis in the organization as no compromise could be worked out.

"I am still firm on my stance," Raj told reporters after he emerged from the hour-long meeting with the Sena supremo at Matoshree, the Thackeray family residence in suburban Bandra.

Raj had attacked Sena leadership, including his cousin Uddhav who is the party's Executive President, at a rally here on November 27 where he announced resignation from all party posts. Addressing his supporters on that day, Raj had said Sena was being run by a coterie of clerks.

Accompanied by Sena leader Manohar Joshi, Raj met Bal Thackeray and was at Matoshree for around an hour. Although details of the meeting were not known, Sena sources said the senior Thackeray expressed his resentment over Raj's actions.

Speaking to reporters at his central Mumbai residence after the meeting, Raj said till today, he had not received the invitation to visit Matoshree (for talks with Bal Thackeray). "I got the invite today, so I went there", he said.

His comments are in stark contrast to the claims by Uddhav that Raj had been 'repeatedly invited by the Sena chief to Matoshree for resolving any misunderstanding'.

Although Raj has not commented on it so far, Sena sources said he would be announcing a new outfit in the next few days.

"I cannot tell you what was discussed in the meeting but I can tell you that I had so far not received any invitation", Raj said.

Sena sources said one of the options that was considered to bring about a rapprochement between the Thackeray cousins was to have two posts of executive presidents and to have a formal division of powers and responsibilities between the two.

Joshi had yesterday told reporters that there were chances of an amicable solution being found to the Sena crisis.