Raj Thackeray back in action after hip surgery, meets senior MNS members

Raj Thackeray, the firebrand politician, and erstwhile chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s cousin is back in limelight, after a small health-related sabbatical.

As the local civic bodies’ elections loom ahead, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president launched a concentrated consultation and strategy-making exercise on Monday, starting with meeting his party’s senior members. The meeting was also said to be precursor to MNS’s roadmap to the run-up for the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections.

Thackeray will meet his party’s office bearers across the state, and would address them collectively.

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“There are many issues in Maharashtra…the (old) government (Uddhav Thackeray-Maha Vikas Aghadi) has changed and new (Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis) government is in place…there are petitions in the Supreme Court, there are issues related to (Shiv Sena) party symbol, there are elections ahead. All these issues are figured in the meetings,” said senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar, a former minister of state for home.

Thackeray, who underwent a hip-surgery a couple of months ago, was recuperating all this time at Shivteerth, his home in Shivaji Park locality. However, it was reported that despite being in physical recovery, he held regular meetings with select people. He is, however, now back in action.

Nandgaonkar, however, was a bit vague about whether the MNS chief would tour the state. “Yes…but before that we all will be touring…Raj saheb will himself tell you all tomorrow…he may address the media as well,” he said.

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Last month, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Devendra Fadnavis had visited Thackeray at Shivteerth, which was supposedly a courtesy call.

Before his surgery, in April-May, Thackeray was outspoken about several issues—including the controversial ban of loudspeakers in mosques and retaliatory recitation of Hanuman Chalisa if mosques continue to use speakers, bringing in Uniform Civil Code and a law on population control. It was apparent at that time that the MNS chief had the full support of the BJP’s state leadership.

However, it was yet to be seen whether Thackeray would ally with the BJP in Mumbai, ahead of the crucial BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation elections.