MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who is embroiled in a bitter legal battle with his estranged elder brother Jaidev Thackeray over their father Bal Thackeray’s will, has said that he is in no mood to relent.

Keen on keeping the late Bal Thackeray’s legacy intact in Maharashtra, Uddhav, who managed to keep the Sena’s ship afloat post the state Assembly polls by joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the last minute, told the Bombay High Court through his counsel on Wednesday that he was against accepting an amicable, outof-court settlement to the dispute.

His decision to risk an endless family feud over property seems to be the result of Jaidev’s mudslinging against him and the late Bal Thackeray in court. And so Uddhav is unwilling to bow down.

Earlier this month, the High Court had suggested that both the parties could settle their dispute amicably.

“Uddhav Thackeray and his family are more worried about the allegations made against them and the deceased. Thus, Uddhav is not keen on an out-of-court settlement,” Uddhav’s counsel Rajesh Shah told the court. Shah, however, also sought additional time to think over the court’s latest proposal of holding an in-camera settlement, with the Court’s assistance or mediation.

Court’s opinion The High Court, which has been hearing the matter since January last year, is of the opinion that the two parties must not let the matter drag indefinitely.

Justice G. S. Patel, who is currently presiding over the case, said, “Both the parties here are looking at long trials, if they wish to continue with the court case. Jaidev does not have any political aspiration. He is aggrieved, thus he made these allegations. If a certain largeness of heart is shown, everybody will go home. How much of this do we drag to public?”

The Court has now given both brothers time till January 6 to decide if they can resolve their dispute mutually.

Uddhav and Jaidev have been bickering over Bal Thackeray’s will since January last year after Uddhav moved court to probate the will to get the same certified.

At the heart of this dispute are estates left behind by Bal Thackeray which include property and bank deposits worth Rs 14.85 crore, the Sena Bhavan and other smaller offices of the party worth several crores, and the family residence Matoshree that alone is worth at least Rs 100 crore.

As per this will all of the family property barring the first floor of their residence, investments and bank deposits have been bequeathed by Bal Thackeray to Uddhav.

Jaidev though has been unwilling to accept that his father did not leave him a penny. He claims that although he had separated from his father some years ago, yet the two had a cordial relationship and the senior Thackeray could not have signed a will in which Jaidev had not been given any share in the family property.

The will bequeaths the first floor of Thackeray bungalow to his grandson Aishwarya, the son of Jaidev and his divorced wife Smita. The second floor has been bequeathed to Uddhav and his sons Aditya and Tejas. The ground and third floors have been given exclusively to Uddhav.

Jaidev, and Madhavi ---the widow of Thackeray's eldest son Bindumadhav who died in a road accident some years ago, get no share.

SENA SHIES AWAY FROM SINGH’S REMARK THE Shiv Sena on Wednesday distanced itself from statements made by the party’s Uttar Pradesh head Anil Singh who had demanded for Muslims to be sent off to Pakistan.

“This is not the Sena’s official stand. Singh may have made the statement in his personal capacity. Only those deputed by party president Uddhav Thackeray as spokespersons can spell out the party’s stand on various issues,” party’s media advisor Harshal Pradhan said.

Singh on Monday had warned that it would not tolerate the “ghar wapasi” programme planned by RSS affiliated organisations as it would lead to “genetic abnormalities in the Hindu community and that actual Ghar Wapasi would be to send Muslims to Pakistan.” Mail Today Bureau/ Mumbai Court gives brothers time till January 6.

Reproduced From Mail Today. Copyright 2014. MTNPL. All rights reserved.