Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat on Saturday criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's visit to the constituencies of six rebel Lok Sabha MPs, describing the tour as a symbolic exercise aimed at attracting publicity rather than reconnecting with party workers.

Shirsat also accused Thackeray of allowing his "ego" to weaken the party and rejected the former chief minister's claim that the rebel MPs had won previous elections solely because of his leadership.