This time round, the bad blood between the cousins started when Sanjay Raut, editor of Sena mouthpiece Saamna and Uddhav’s close confidant, termed Raj "chicken-hearted" for having fled from Konkan where he was supposed to have taken on rebel Narayan Rane’s might. Raj retorted that the party is now led by "nincompoops", people who have no work or credentials to show. His target was clearly his cousin. Ever since Uddhav’s anointment as executive president (in 2002), Raj has been steadily marginalised from all decision-making processes. For a man who saw himself as Thackeray’s natural political heir, it was galling. More so as even recent surveys among Sainiks showed they preferred Raj over Uddhav.