Explaining what makes nephews turn against their uncles, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray launched a veiled attack on estranged nephew Raj, saying nephews get 'tickled' when they see their uncles being hailed.

"Leadership goes into their heads. When they see their uncles being hailed by the masses, they get 'gudgulya' (tickled)," Thackeray said, in reply to a query on the rise of nephews in Maharashtra's political families - for instance, Raj Thackeray, Ajit Pawar (Sharad Pawar's nephew) and Gopinath Munde's estranged nephew Dhananjay.