The MNS leader further said that Shinde spoke to Raj Thackeray over the phone twice and also enquired about his health.
"Rebel Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shide spoke to MNS chief Raj Thackeray over the phone twice. Shinde spoke to Thackeray about the recent political situation in Maharashtra and enquired about his health," an MNS leader confirmed as reported by ANI.
Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray have always been at loggerheads politically in Maharashtra.
Earlier on Sunday, Shinde, who is currently camping in Assam along with other MLAs, lashed out at the party for allegedly supporting the culprits of the Mumbai bomb blast, Dawood Ibrahim and those responsible for the taking lives of innocent people.
Taking to Twitter the rebel MLA said that is why they took such a decision while adding "it is better to die" than follow such a decision.
"How can Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena support people who had a direct connection with culprits of Mumbai bomb blast, Dawood Ibrahim and those responsible for taking lives of innocent people of Mumbai. That's why we took such a step, it's better to die," Shinde said in a tweet.
Interestingly, the Shinde faction named their group 'Shiv Sena Balasaheb'.
The naming of the group after the name of the Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray attracted sharp reactions from the Uddhav faction as the Chief Minister said that those who left the party should not seek votes in the name of the party founder.
Last week, Eknath Shinde - one of Sena's top leaders, along with some other MLAs went incommunicado - and travelled to Surat, resulting in a massive political crisis in Maharashtra. Hours after this, the Shiv Sena removed the rebel lawmaker as the party's leader in the House. Soon after, rebel MLAs passed a resolution signed by 34 MLAs calling Shinde the party’s head.
Meanwhile, Shinde has approached the Supreme Court against the disqualification notices issued by the Deputy Speaker against rebel MLAs.
