As Shiv Sena turned 56, the saffron outfit hailed its charismatic founder late Balasaheb Thackeray as “Father of Hindutva” even as Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray asked his party workers to aim high and prepare for future polls.
“Ab tak chappan…..We have travelled for 56 years…now not only 56, we have to aim for 156…then 256 and grow further…We have given a befitting reply to critics who questioned Shiv Sena's future after Balasaheb,” Thackeray said amid thunderous applause at a party gathering on Sunday.
The reference to 56 is the number of seats that Shiv Sena won in the 2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly polls - though the strength is currently 55 as one member passed away last month and bye-elections are due.
Earlier, welcoming Thackeray, Shiv Sena chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said: “Balasaheb was our inspiration…he is ‘Hindutva ka Baap’…..not only he is ‘Father of Hindutva’ in India but in the world.”
Raut said when last week state’s environment, tourism and protocol minister Aaditya Thackeray visited Lucknow and Ayodhya, he was welcomed all along. “They showered love on him as he is grandson of Balasaheb, who showed what Hindutva is,” he said.
Raut said that when Thackeray was garlanding the statue of Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Aaditya reminded him that the day coincides with Father’s Day.
Thackeray said: “For me Shiv Sena is ‘pitra-paksha’….what am I without him…I am respected because I am Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray….he taught us what bhoomi-putra is what Hindutva is…. When speaking as a Hindu was considered a crime, Balasaheb raised the Hindutva issue.”
Without naming prime minister Narendra Modi, he took a dig at him and said: “Everybody has an alternative….Today may be my day, tomorrow someone better will emerge.”
Coming to the recently-concluded Rajya Sabha elections and Monday’s Maharashtra Legislative Council polls, he said: “Unfortunately, (Shiv Sena candidate) Sanjay Pawar lost…but let me tell you the Shiv Sena votes were intact…we will win the Council polls also.”