The changing political equation in Maharashtra had its echo at the seventh death anniversary event of Bal Thackeray on Sunday, as the Congress and NCP leaders made their presence felt at the “Shiv Thirth” to pay homage to the late Sena chief, Shiv Sainiks heckled former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the BJP and Sena leaders exchanged barbs.
“Shiv Thirth” — a historic ground better known as the Shivaji Park where the Shiv Sena was founded way back in 1966, where late Thackeray addressed massive Dussehra rallies year after year till a year prior to his death, where the Sena chief was cremated on November 18, 2012 and where the swearing-in ceremony of the new Shiv Sena-led Government is likely to take place — came alive, as thousands of Sainks turned out to pay their respects to late Thackeray.
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, his wife Rashmi, sons Aditya and Tejas were among the first to arrive at the Shivjai Park to pay homage to the late Sena patriarch at the landscaped garden, developed by the Sena-controlled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
In a reflection of the changed political mood in the state, state State president Jayant Patil, former Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and Jitendra Awhad made it specially to “Shiv Thirth” and paid their respects to late Bal Thackeray. “We will make all-out efforts to fulfil late Balasaheb’s dream (of installing a Sena-led Government and its Chief Minister),” senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who was himself a Shiv Sena leader till he left the party and joined the Congress in 1991.
Congress leader Bhai Jagtap came to “Shiv Thirth” and paid respects to the late Shiv Sena chief.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who is playing a key role in the formation of Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress Government in Maharashtra, tweeted: “Late Balasaheb Thackeray espoused the cause of self-respect and helped Marathi Manoos conducted himself with pride. With his social work and governance-based politics, great oratory skills, straight-forward outlook, Balasaheb gave selfless and endless love to his followers. My sincere homage to him on his death anniversary”.
Former chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis arrived at “Shiv Thirth” in the early afternoon and paid his homage to late Thackeray. “Paid humble tributes to HinduHrudaySamrat, ShivSenaPramukh Balasaheb Thackeray ji on his SmrutiDin at Mumbai,” Fadnavis tweeted.
Ahead of his arrival, ministers in his government Pankaja Munde and Vinod Tawade were already there at “Shiv Thirth”. Together, they paid respects to the late Sena chief. Later in the evening, BJP president Chandrakant Patil reached “Shiv Thirth” and paid homage to late Thackeray.
Fadnavis, who had in the morning put out a video on late Thackeray on his twitter handle, said in his accompanying message saying. “Late Hon Thackeray gave us a basic mantra of how to protect of our self-respect”. The video and accompanying message sparked unrest in the Shiv Sena workerrs present there.
Seeing Fadnavis — whose relations with Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray have turned sour after the former denied that the BJP had given any assurance to the latter that the rotational chief ministership would be given to the Sena – leave from “Shiv Thirth” after paying respects to late Thackeray, the Sainiks became somewhat restive and shouted “Me Punha Yain, Me Punha Yain... (I will return as the chief minister)” slogan, a statement that Fadnavis had made at election rally after election rally in the recent Assembly polls predicting his return as the Chief Minister of the state.
Talking to media persons after paying homage to late Thackeray, Shiv Sena MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut said: “We will do anything for late Balsaheb Thackeray. Our government will be formed. We will fulfil the promise that Uddhavji had given to his late father Balasaheb. Shiv Sena man will become the chief minister of the state as early as possible.
When his attention was drawn to Fadnavis’ tweet accompanying a video on late Thackeray, Raut said: “You will soon get a response to this. There is no need for anyone to teach us wisdom. We are Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sainks. No one can teach us on issues like self-respect, Hindutva and nationalism. He (Fadnavis) will get answer for his comment”.
Meanwhile, former BJP minister Pankaka Munde, who is the daughter of late senior party leader Gopinath Munde, said: “Shiv Thirth is a place of inspiration for the Sena and BJP workers. I came here to revive my memories of late Balasaheb. His ideology is alive. Apart from political relations, I had family relations late Balasaheb”.
Thackeray, it may be recalled, died of a cardio-respiratory arrest on November 17, 2012. A day later, the Sena chief‘s mortal remains were cosigned to flames in the first-ever funeral held at the Shivaji Park, in full public view. Earlier, lakhs of people – mostly Shiv Sainiks – had joined a mammoth funeral procession of late Thackeray taken out from Thackerays' residence “Matoshri” to Shivaji Park at Dadar in north-central Mumbai.