A key member of the rebel faction of Shiv Sena MLAs in Maharashtra has claimed Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar was behind the earlier splits in the saffron party and his alleged role in revolts caused pain to its founder Bal Thackeray.

Deepak Kesarkar, a Sena MLA and spokesperson for the rebel faction headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, sought to know what Pawar gained by causing pain to Bal Thackeray.