Shiv Sainik-turned-Congressman Sanjay Nirupam wants to prove to his previous party, that he isn't a traitor who betrayed its founder, late Bal Thackeray. He refutes the charge that his opponent has levelled against him, but says he quit the Sena over differences with the top leadership. The two-time Rajya Sabha MP is contesting from the Mumbai North West constituency, where his opponent is the Shiv Sena's Gajanan Kirtikar.

'Not a traitor'

Nirupam insisted that he is not the traitor he was made out to be by some in the Sena. He claimed that he did not work against the party when he was part of it, and gave up his RS seat over ideological differences with Sena founder Thackeray. "I haven't said a bad word about Balasaheb," he particularly mentions.