Maharashtra cabinet minister Deepak Kesarkar on Tuesday said the Eknath Shinde faction is not interested in taking over the Shiv Sena Bhavan in Mumbai or any other property linked to the rival camp headed by former CM Uddhav Thackeray, who he claimed, was trying to gain sympathy over the issue after an Election Commission ruling.

Kesarkar, a spokesperson of the Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, said his outfit is not even interested in laying claim to party funds after the EC recognised their group as the real Shiv Sena and allotted it the "bow and arrow" poll symbol.

He said Shinde has already made it clear his faction is not interested in staking claim to the Shiv Sena Bhavan, the party headquarters at Dadar in central Mumbai, or any property linked to the Thackeray group, and that the school of thoughts advanced by Sena founder late Bal Thackeray was their real asset.

Speaking to reporters here, Kesarkar said, “There is a gross misconception that we are going to take over the Shiv Sena Bhavan or any other property linked to Uddhav Thackeray. We are not even interested in party funds.” “Uddhav Thackeray is trying to gain sympathy out of the issue. We do not want anything as we have thoughts of late Balasaheb Thackeray with us," said the school education minister.

Asked about reports that party funds are being transferred by Thackeray camp members to some other bank accounts after the poll panel order, Kesarkar said, “It was wrong to transfer the money to some personal bank accounts. These funds were raised from contributions of ordinary party workers."

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