Aditya Thackeray likely to break Thackeray clan tradition, likely to contest from Worli assembly seat

Mumbai: Yuva Sena president Aditya Thackeray is likely to break the decades old tradition of the Thackeray clan of not contesting any election. The Thackeray scion and Sena leader is more likely to contest from the Worli assembly constituency. According to sources in the Shiv Sena, his candidature is likely to be officially announced tomorrow. The Sena is planning a “Vijay Sankalp Melawa” (victory resolve gathering) in Worli on September 30 which will be addressed by Aditya Thackeray.

Sources also confirmed that the pre-poll alliance between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena is almost certain and would be announced officially soon. According to sources, the BJP along with its own allies will contest 162 seats, while the Sena along with its allies will contest 126 seats.

A message has been sent from Shiv Sena Shakha 196 at Worli to all the party cadres, leaders from all frontal and allied organisations and leaders directing all of them to remain present at the gathering. The message bears the name of Vibhag Pramukh, Ashish Chemburkar, Shakha Pramukh, Jivba Keskar, Shakha Sanghatak Sangeeta Jagtap, Shakha Adhikari Vinayak Bhole.

Ever since the late Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray founded the Sena on June 19, 1966, the Thackeray family has steadfastly refused to step in the bull ring of electoral politics. Even when the Sena formed the first alliance government with the BJP in 1995, the late Sena chief famously quipped that the Remote Control of the government was in his hands.

Justifying the need for Aditya Thackerays electoral plunge, Sena leaders argued that they need someone from the family to keep a watch on the party legislators in the assembly. The party has been grooming and projecting Aditya Thackeray as its Chief Ministerial face. Aditya Thackeray had recently undertaken the statewide Jana Ashirwad Yatra to thank the voters for their support in the recent 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Sources in the Sena disclosed that the party had been scouting for a safe seat for the Thackeray scion. The Worli seat was zeroed in after taking into consideration the presence of strong Sena support base and its close proximity to the party headquarters, Sena Bhavan in Dadar. The assembly seat was earlier held by former NCP legislator and Mumbai NCP chief Sachin Ahir, who recently quit the NCP and joined the Sena. It remains to be seen as to where Ahir is going to be accommodated.