JALNA: Union minister Prataprao Jadhav has claimed Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray was bowing before "trivial people" with an eye on the chief minister's post ahead of Maharashtra polls and had abandoned the Sena's ideology.
The state assembly elections are due in October this year.
Last week, former state chief minister Thackeray visited Delhi and met top Congress leaders.
Some BJP leaders later claimed Thackeray wanted to ensure he would be the chief ministerial candidate of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
The Congress, Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) are chief constituents of the opposition alliance, pitted against the ruling `Mahayuti' coalition of the BJP, Shiv Sena headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and NCP.
Speaking at a felicitation programme in Jalna on Sunday, Union minister Jadhav, who belongs to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, said during the time of party founder Balasaheb Thackeray, leaders used to visit his residence 'Matoshree' in Mumbai.
In contrast, Uddhav Thackeray is now seeking approval of "trivial people" to secure the CM's post, he claimed.
"He falls at the feet of trivial people for the chief ministerial post," the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare said.
Uddhav Thackeray has become completely secular, lacking the qualities of his father Balasaheb Thackeray, he further claimed.
"He has not even one per cent of the qualities of Balasaheb," the minister said.
Jadhav also criticised Uddhav Thackeray for not condemning the alleged attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, which is facing unrest.
"Uddhav Thackeray has abandoned Shiv Sena's ideology while he calls us traitors," he claimed.
After a rebellion led by Shinde against the Sena leadership in June 2022, the party split and led to the collapse of the then MVA government headed by Uddhav Thackeray.