Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Saturday turned 84 and used the occasion to make it clear that he remains at the helm of the saffron party's affairs. "I have the remote control of politics and the remote control will continue to remain with me," Thackeray said in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana. Five years ago, Thackeray had announced his retirement from active politics, making way for son Uddhav to take over the reins of the party.
Thackeray distanced himself from remarks made in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Samana that praised Tamil superstar Rajnikanth, who had his early life in Karnataka, for his stand on the Hogenakkal issue. It said it had 'dwarfed' Bachchan when it came to taking a firm position on issues relating to Maharashtra. Thackeray said the actor was a family friend.
Raut also refuted the speculation of NCP leader Ajit Pawar joining the BJP.
Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray has termed the raking up of Pakistani cricketer Javed Miandad's visit to his residence five years ago as "Goebbels' propaganda", saying an anti-Mumbai virus has spread, but it would have no impact on his party.
The stars come out to party again!
His political differences with the Congress notwithstanding, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray admires Indira Gandhi as a "woman with guts" who had the capability to govern.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Monday criticised Sachin Tendulkar for his "Mumbai for all" remark, saying there was no need for the cricket icon to take a "cheeky single" and hurting the Marathi psyche by moving to the pitch of politics.
Patil revealed that CM Shinde called him on Tuesday morning after his remarks caused a row and asked him to clarify.
Thackeray, in an editorial published in party mouthpiece Saamana, said, "The Karunanidhi government has issued an ordinance making Tamil compulsory in all schools in the state." "Lalu, who has turned Bihar into hell, should hold a mela of Biharis in Tamil Nadu, ruled by his ally at the Centre, to champion the cause of North Indians there."
Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Monday came in defence of his party workers and blamed the attack on the 'Maharashtra Times' office on Nationalist Congress Party's state president Madhukar Pichad.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Wednesday described Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray as the new Mohammad Ali Jinnah and said his estranged nephew was intent on dividing Marathi people.
Thackeray welcomed Bajaj Auto chairman Rahul Bajaj's comments against the proposed bailout of debt-ridden Kingfisher by the government.
The Congress on Monday refused to read any political overtures in the meeting between its ally Nationalist Congress Party's chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray in Mumbai, saying it was to ensure the conduct of a hassle-free IPL. Asked whether Pawar's meeting with Thackeray was a snub to the Congress, party spokesperson Abhishekh Manu Singhvi said, "Pawar has met Thackeray to prevent the politics of disruption in cricketing matters."
'Eknath Shinde and 40 other traitors have become slaves of Delhi (Centre) to finish off the Shiv Sena'
The former CM is expected to sound the poll bugle for next year's Lok Sabha elections with the convention and rally.
Although the process which went on after 3 am, was largely peaceful, police foiled a bid by zealous Shiv sainiks to erect a memorial of the Sena patriarch adjacent to the Shivaji statue at the park
'The moment the NDA government came down, most of the allies moved out of the partnership,' he said.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Wednesday asked all the institutions in the city with the name Bombay as prefix to change it to Mumbai, failing which the party would target them.
In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi accused the prime minister of twisting his words and said he was speaking about the power of which Modi was wearing the mask.
Shiv Sena members on Tuesday warned Abu Asim Azmi, Member of Legislative Assembly from Samajwadi Party, against making remarks about Sena chief Bal Thackeray.
In an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamna, Thackeray had attacked MPs from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for what he termed was launching an anti-Marathi tirade in Parliament. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Committee headed by senior Congress MP, V Kishore Chandra Deo, on Tuesday after it recorded evidence of some members who had raised a breach of privilege against the Shiv Sena chief.
The national executive meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party, held in Mumbai, has made it amply clear that no important decisions can be taken in the party by sidelining Narendra Modi, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray said on Saturday.
The octogenarian leader said he agreed with Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar that these tactics to gain free publicity should be ignored. Without naming Raj, Thackeray said 'chicken in state politics are suffering from bird flu of depression', and hence they have no value.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has demanded building of a 'Amarnath House' or 'Vaishnodevi House' for Hindus on the lines of 'Haj House' in Mumbai for Muslims.
Ahead of Asif Ali Zardari's pilgrimage to the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on nThursday took a dig at the Pakistan President, wondering how could the prayers of those who have an "evil eye" on India could be answered.
Marathwada region, from where arrested Lashkar-e-Tayiba handler of 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack Abu Jundal hails, is fast becoming the "new Pakistan", Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray said on Wednesday.
After brickbats, it is now bouquets for cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar from the Shiv Sena.
Days after his nephew Raj opposed -- albeit briefly -- a TV show featuring Pakistani artistes, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Saturday said he would not allow Pakistani cricketers to play in India.
Both the Shiv Senas - one of Maharashtra Chief minister Eknath Shinde and the other of Uddhav Thackeray - marked their foundation day on Monday, with attack on each other.
That the MVA government, comprising Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress completed a year in office despite frequent murmurs of lack of coordination among the ruling alliance partners is being attributed to the rapport between Thackeray, 60, and NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar.
In an interesting meeting scheduled for July 13, Pranab Mukherjee, the ruling United Progressive Alliance coalition's nominee for the Presidential election, would be calling on Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, to thank him.
Thackeray's remarks that only the Sena pattern -- and not Modi -- will work in Maharashtra, is being viewed as a reminder to top state BJP leaders who want to replicate the 'Modi effect' in the state. Sena is the senior partner in the over two-decade old saffron alliance, which has seen a lot of turbulence after the killing of Pramod Mahajan, the main architect of the alliance.
A day after Union Minister Sharad Pawar met Bal Thackeray requesting him to withdraw its threat against Australian cricketers' participation in Indian Premier League, Shiv Sena on Monday said it would take a final call on the issue in two-three days
The enquiry report on the arrest of two girls for their Facebook comments against the shutdown for Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray's funeral has indicted the policemen involved in initiating action and observed that the arrests could have been avoided.
Former Union Finance Minister C D Deshmukh was the only Marathi leader in New Delhi with self-respect, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has said.
Rane announced his resignation as leader of opposition in the Maharashtra assembly on Saturday.
With Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray targeting some Members of Parliament from Bihar, including Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Wednesday said that such references amounted to contempt of the House.
It is not clear, however, what has prompted them to write to Thackeray, and what do they expect from him in return.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, who underwent treatment for weakness and fever at the Lilavati hospital, has recovered completely and is likely to be discharged tomorrow, doctors attending on him said today.
Thackeray was writing in an editorial in Sena mouthpiece "Saamna".
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