Uddhav to address mega rally in Aurangabad on Wednesday

Amid heightened political activities in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena President and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will address a mega rally in Aurangabad on Wednesday where he will reaffirm the Hindutva credentials of the 56-year-old saffron party.

It may be mentioned, late Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray enjoyed a special relationship with Aurangabad.

The rally of Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress dispensation, comes ahead of the June 10 polls for six seats of Rajya Sabha and June 20 polls for 10 seats for Maharashtra Legislative Council.

Both these polls are likely to be cliffhangers and are heading for a nail-biting finish, if one goes by the current political assessment and tug-of-war between MVA and BJP.

In addition, Aurangabad is one of the dozen-plus big cities expected to go for civic polls post-monsoon.

Last month, MNS President Raj Thackeray and Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis had addressed rallies in Aurangabad and back-to-back visits by AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi and his brother and Telangana MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, during which they had lashed out at the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

Read: Uddhav Thackeray dials Kolhapur royal after prince quits Rajya Sabha race

It is from Aurangabad, Raj, the estranged cousin of Thackeray, fixed the May 4 deadline and threatened to play the Hanuman-Chalisa at double the volume if mosques use loudspeakers for azans and prayers. Thackeray’s June 8 rally would be held at the Marathwada Sanskritik Mandal ground.

The Shiv Sena has been on the line of fire for not having been able to rename Aurangabad as Sambhaji Nagar. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is the son of legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Sambhaji Maharaj was killed at the behest of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after whom the Aurangabad city has been named.

While the Congress is opposed to the move, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP has adopted a guarded stance remaining neutral. Incidentally, Aurangabad is now represented by journalist-turned-politician Imtiaz Jaleel - who in 2019 had defeated Shiv Sena stalwart Chandrakant Khaire. The recent visit by Akbaruddin Owaisi to Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khuldabad, around 24 kilometres from Aurangabad city, has sparked off a controversy with the MNS, BJP questioning the Hindutva credentials of the Shiv Sena. The Rana couple - Amravati MP Navneet Kaur Rana and three-time Badnera MLA Ravi Rana - too have lashed out at Thackeray-dispensation.

The Shiv Sena has released teasers for the rally at Aurangabad, the most important city and divisional headquarters of the Marathwada region.

To recall history, on May 8, 1988, the late Balasaheb, addressing a rally in Aurangabad, had said, "...it is not Aurangabad but Sambhaji Nagar. The Shiv Sena has named it..."