Krupal Tumane, Shiv Sena’s Member of Parliament from Ramtek constituency, got a rousing welcome on his arrival at Nagpur airport from Delhi after joining the party faction led by Eknath Shinde, Chief Miniser of Maharashtra. Talking to mediapersons, he said, “We are still in Shiv Sena. We have changed our group leader only.”

Tumane was among the Shiv Sena MPs who sided with Eknath Shinde during their recent visit to Delhi. On Friday, he returned to Nagpur and got a rousing welcome from his supporters including some of Shiv Sena office-bearers. Interacting with mediapersons at the airport, Tumane denied Aditya Thackeray’s allegations that those who sided with Shinde had backstabbed party chief Uddhav Thackeray.

“We have not backstabbed anyone. Forty MLAs and we MPs were requesting Uddhav Thackeray to break away from Maha Vikas Aghadi. However, he was not willing. For one person, he put Shiv Sena at stake,” said Tumane. He said that everyone knew Thackeray-led Shiv Sena’s present condition. Still, he added, there was time for Thackeray to quit Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Asked as to why he and other MPs of Shiv Sena had joined Shinde-led faction of the party, Tumane replied that when MLAs joined Shinde the MPs made efforts to bring both factions together. “But, we failed. In Parliament, Vinayak Raut was Shiv Sena group leader. We used to prepare for participating in legislative business. However, Vinayak Raut or Arvind Sawant only would speak and our preparation would go waste. Fed up with this, we had thought of removing Vinayak Raut from the post. Now, we have done it,” said Tumane.

To another question, Tumane said that Shinde-led faction was with BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. “We had contested elections in alliance with BJP and were part of NDA,” he replied.