The Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray has dissociated himself from the Saamna editorial on Thursday which castigated Mumbai’s Gujarati community for “exploiting the city for profit”.

Sounding a politically correct tone, Uddhav said the party mouthpiece’s editorial did not reflect Sena’s official viewpoint.  He reiterated his party’s resolve to fortify the Marathi-Gujarati bond in Mumbai. “Let’s keep our bond strong and let’s strive to translate into reality Balasaheb Thackeray’s dream (to install a saffron government in the state),” said the Sena president in a statement.

Saamna editorials have become reasons for Sena’s embarrassment these days, especially their intermittent attacks on Narendra Modi for flaunting the Gujarat model of development. Ironically, it is for the first time that Uddhav has candidly opposed the Sena mouthpiece, say observers.

Thackeray, who is vacationing abroad, directed a senior Sena functionary to publish his displeasure on the issue as the BJP lodged a strong protest with the party. Thackeray is the editor of Saamna, while Sanjay Raut, the Sena MP, has served as the morninger’s executive editor for more than twenty years.

By rejecting the Saamna remark, Thackeray intended to attain two objectives: first, cut Raut to size and, second, calm BJP’s boil. His response is also dictated by the state Assembly elections in October. Reprimanding Raut, he said there were some people who only create differences among communities as they have nothing productive to do. “We must be cautioned of such people’s fissiparous tendencies and focus on strengthening the Marathi-Gujarati ties in Mumbai,” said Thackeray.