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.
Mounting pressure on its ally over the border row issue, the Shiv Sena today warned BJP that it would snap ties with it if its government in Karnataka continued to "torture" Marathi-speaking people.
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.
Addressing a function in New Delhi after floating the party, Goyal claimed that the diatribe against north-Indians by Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray was part of a 'design' by Pakistan to destabilise the country. Attacking the Thackeray family, Goyal claimed, 'first Pakistan raised Jai Khalistan, then came the Jai Kashmir slogan. There is a conspiracy to divide India in the name of 'Jai Maratha' which has been hatched by Pakistan.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, in limelight for 'hijacking' Shiv Sena's 'Marathi pride' agenda, today met his uncle and Sena chief Bal Thackeray, their first meeting since he left the Sena and launched MNS in 2006.
Stating that the Shiv Sena was ready to provide the best lawyers to defend Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, arrested in connection with the Malegaon blast, Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Monday ridiculed Congress Member of Parliament Gurudas Kamat, who has demanded his arrest for backing her. "Whenever Congressmen have feats of Muslim appeasement, they dream of my arrest," Thackeray said in an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Tuesday said he did not go to Ayodhya in 1992 as Hindutva forces failed to unite under a common banner.
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.
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.
But last weekend when Bhujbal appeared in a Mumbai court to withdraw a 1997 defamation case against the Sena Supremo Bal Thackeray with Uddhav Thackeray keeping him company in front of cameras it ruffled many a feather despite both Bhujbal and NCP playing down the development seen by many as pregnant with possibilities of realignments in the state.
The over two-decade old BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is intact and the two parties will contest the Lok Sabha polls together, BJP President Rajnath Singh said in Mumbai on Tuesday.
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, who is undergoing treatment for weakness and fever at the Lilavati hospital in Mumbai has been shifted to a special room from the Intensive Care Unit and is likely to be discharged by Friday, doctors attending on him said on Wednesday.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, who is undergoing treatment for weakness and fever is doing fine but will have to rest in hospital for atleast two more days, doctors attending on him said on Monday.
A day after Shiv Sena chief was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, his estranged nephew paid a visit to the hospital along wth his wife.
The Bhartiya Janata Party has denied any rift between L K Advani and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on any issue. When Advani was in Mumbai on Turesday, Thackery refused to meet the BJP leader saying that he was unwell and should not be disturbed. But the mouth piece of Shiv Sena, Saamna disclosed that it was the Sena chief who prevented sacking of Narendra Modi after the Godhra incident.
Adding fuel to speculations that the Shiv Sena may opt for a pre-poll alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party, Leader of the Opposition Ramdas Kadam today said that many party men were unhappy with the party's ties with the BJP.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Monday took a dig at senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani, saying that an 'iron man' like him must be hurt that people have accepted Dr Manmohan Singh, whom he had termed as a 'weak' prime minister during the campaign for the Lok Sabha polls."Till yesterday, you were prime ministerial candidate and you were referring to Manmohan Singh as a weak prime minister.
Throwing his weight behind Lal Kishenchand Advani on being annointed as Bharatiya Janata Party's prime minister designate, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Wednesday likened him to a "flower" that has bloomed in desert, adding to the support for the saffron party veteran from National Democratic Alliance allies.
At a time when elections, both Parliament and assembly, are round the corner, die-hard Shiv Sainiks believe that Uddhav Thackeray needs to reconcile with some important leaders, because they can make or break the party's performance, says Neeta Kolhatkar.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, admitted to hospital three days ago, was today shifted out of ICU and was likely to be discharged in the next couple of days.
The police do not have it in them to confront the Hindutva groups in a country ruled by a Hindutva party. No wonder Munawar Faruqui feels this is the end for him, asserts Jyoti Punwani.
Shiv Sena on Monday unveiled plans to reach the Marathi manoos by organising a 'vada pav sammelan'.Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, speaking at the launch function, said the 'shiv vada' would provide jobs to Marathi people.The best vada pav will be launched on Sena chief Bal Thackeray's birthday on January 23 under the 'Shiv Vada pav' brand.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Thursday hailed Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde for raising the banner of revolt and making his party restore democracy in its functioning. After the episode, Munde has emerged as a very strong leader in the state and there were none to match him, Thackeray said in an editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna. There were attempts to finish off Munde politically but he rebelled and succeeded to make the party heed to his demand.
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.
An article, published in Saturday's edition of Sena's mouthpiece Saamna, which is edited by Thackeray, accuses Bachchan of not doing enough for Maharashtra. The article cites the example of Tamil superstar Rajnikanth, who participated in the protest by Tamil Nadu against Karnataka over the Hoggenakal issue, even though he hails from Karnataka. The article goes on to suggest scathingly that Bachchan should take a leaf out of Rajnikanth's book.
The sources said Thackeray also had talks with former prime minister and NDA chairman Atal Bihari Vajpayee a couple of days back.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Wednesday said that he was seeking legal opinion before taking action against Shiv Sena Supremo Bal Thackeray, in the wake of his comments against Biharis and North Indian Members of Parliament. "If any editorial hurts the sentiments of other people, it can affect the law and order situation," Deshmukh said after meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. He said a legal opinion needed to be taken.
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 chief Bal Thackeray on Tuesday sought to put the onus of the recent strain between the Sena-BJP alliance on the new generation of leaders in that party.
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.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has said he prevailed on the Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani not to remove Narendra Modi from the chief ministerial chair in Gujarat after the Godhra riots.
Sena chief has now put ball in BJP's court indicating that Shiv Sena's tiger is back to roar. Sanjay Jog reports
The sketches have been prepared based on information gathered from people residing near the area where the incident took place.
As the United Progressive Alliance-Left standoff over the Indo-US nuclear deal continued, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday said party supremo Bal Thackeray will play a "crucial" role in the unfolding political crisis. The statement by party spokesman Sanjay Raut, MP, came at a time when the Congress is desperately seeking support from new parties and groups in the wake of threats by the Left parties to withdraw support over the nuke deal.
The Thackerays came to Mumbai two generations ago for jobs and as such have no right to assault those coming to the financial capital in search of livelihood. This claim has been made in an article published in this month's issue of Nationalist Congress Party's mouthpiece Rashtravadi, whose chief Sharad Pawar is an old friend of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray.
'Raj will have to do a lot more to win over the public and overcome the trust deficit. It is a lot of work and needs political patience, which can come with maturity and understanding. All of these seem to be lacking in the man.'
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.
The letter was delivered to Dr Singh by a Shiv Sena delegation headed by Sena's Executive President Udhav Thackeray at the prime minister's South block office.
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