Bal Thackeray tried to kill Sonu Nigam 'several times', claims son of ex-Maharashtra CM Narayan Rane, Nilesh

On Tuesday, the son of former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane said Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray tried to kill singer Sonu Nigam ‘several times’, according to several media reports. “Bal Thackeray tried to kill Sonu Nigam,” Nilesh Rane said, according to a report in DNA. “Attempts were made several times. Someone go ask him, he might admit it now. Where did all the Shiv Sainiks who went to kill him (Sonu Nigam) go now? What relationship did Sonu Nigam have with Bal Thackeray? Don’t ask me. Balasaheb has killed a lot of people in his Karjat farmhouse. Don’t come after me, my name is Rane.” [caption id=“attachment_5901241” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Bal Thackeray. Reuters[/caption] Nilesh was reacting to Shiv Sena MP Vinayak Raut’s allegation that nine people had been killed in the 10 years of Nilesh’s father Narayan’s political life, reported DNA. Nilesh also accused the Shiv Sena founder of ordering the murder of former Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe,  reported India Today. Dighe was the Shiv Sena’s Thane district unit chief and died of a heart attack in August 2001.  Shortly after his death, Dighe’s supporters set on fire the hospital he was admitted to. “Two Shiv Sena workers who knew about this murder and couldn’t digest this were also killed,” Nilesh, a former Congress MP added. While Nilesh  refused to divulge any more details, he claimed Nigam was aware of the alleged plot. Narayan began his political career as a member of the Shiv Sena and was ousted by Uddhav Thackeray in 2005. After stints at the Congress and the Maharashtra Swabhiman party (which he founded), he then became a member of the BJP’s national campaign council.