Raj Thackeray announced his exit from Shiv Sena in 2005, alleging that he was "insulted" and "humiliated". Raj was perceived by masses to be Balasaheb's political heir, but in 2003, Uddhav Thackeray was named as the party's working president. It's said that Raj wasn't named as party chief as he was accused in the murder case of a Pune man.