On a day of major political developments in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena and rival MNS are all set to drop hints of their respective future courses on Thursday.
The day marks the 94th birth anniversary of late Bal Thackeray, father of Shiv Sena president and Maharashtra chief minister, Uddhav Thackeray and uncle of the MNS president Raj Thackeray.
The day is also significant as it marks the 123rd birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the iconic leader revered across India.
The BJP, that missed coming back to power in Maharashtra, is closely watching the two parallel political developments.
Last year, the Shiv Sena broke ranks with BJP, its 30-year-old saffron alliance partner, and joined hands with Sharad Pawar-led NCP and Congress to come to power by forming a grand Trimurti alliance of Maha Vikas Aghadi.
The MNS, in a grand mega convention at the NESCO Complex at Goregaon, plans to pass an important political resolution and unveil its new logo and flag.
The Raj-led party is planning to occupy the saffron space that has been created after Sena joined hands with NCP-Congress.
Raj, who is a vocal critic of prime minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah, recently held a secret meeting with the leader of the opposition and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, but both sides did not confirm the parlays.
"It is a significant day in the history of MNS, a lot of things will be known. Raj saheb will express his thoughts and direct us," MNS vice president Vageesh Saraswat, a close aide of Raj, told DH.
On Wednesday evening, the Shiv Sena announced that Uddhav would be visiting the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya in March when his government complete 100 days.
"Chalo Ayodhya! CM #UddhavThackeray will visit Ayodhya on the completion of 100 days in power! @OfficeofUT," Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut tweeted. "With the blessings of Lord Ram, the government will complete five years," he said.
Uddhav, who had announced after the Supreme Court verdict in the Ayodhya dispute case that he would once again go to Ayodhya on November 24, 2019, had postponed his visit then, owing to the impasse in the government formation in the state.
He was sworn in as chief minister on November 28. It may be recalled that Uddhav had on November 25, 2018 – along with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya, visited Ayodhya.
On June 16, 2019, after the Lok Sabha polls, he once again visited Ayodhya and offered prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla shrine. Uddhav will be felicitated by 11 senior-most Shiv Sainiks at the MMRDA Grounds at Bandra-Kurla Complex.
"Uddhav ji has fulfilled the promise given to Balasaheb Thackeray and the party will felicitate him," said state transport minister Anil Parab.
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