Times of India | 1 week ago | 20-01-2023 | 06:25 am
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray may skip the unveiling of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s oil portrait in the central hall of the legislature on his birth anniversary on Monday.The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday declared that Uddhav would take part in a programme to pay tribute to his father at 7pm at Regal Circle in Colaba, where Bal Thackeray’s life-size statue is installed. The event is scheduled around the same time as the portrait unveiling in the legislature . Shiv Sena (UBT) functionaries said that since the party has announced its ownevent, Uddhav may have to skip the legislature event.The portrait will be unveiled by chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The entire Thackeray clan, including various estranged members of the family such as MNS chief Raj Thackeray and nephew Nihar Thackeray, who had extended support to Shinde, has been invited.Central ministers from the state, cabinet ministers, state MLAs and MPs, and eminent personalities from the sports and cultural arena have also been extended invitations.Ahead of civic polls, Uddhav’s Shiv Sena appoints 3 new vibhag pramukhs in cityMumbai : Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar said four oil paintings of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray had been commissioned and he would choose the one which would be hung in the central hall. “This will be an apolitical programme, one where we will pay tributes to Balasaheb and his service to the state and the country,” he said.According to the scheduleannounced by the Shiv Sena (UBT), Uddhav will visit the Tha ckeray statue in Colaba at 7pm and then head to Sion to address a meeting of party functionaries. “Since the timings of the two events clash, it is unlikely that Uddhavji will attend the even t at the legislature. But since the site is very close to Vidhan Bhavan, he just might attend too,” a Sena (UBT) functionary said.The Shiv Sena (UBT) faction has already criticised the Vidhan Bhavan event, sayingthere is politics behindit.Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut hit out at the Shinde government over the portrait. “They are playing politics. Our leader Uddhav Thackeray has already called them a ‘father-stealing gang’ and there is truth in it. There is no n eed to explain who Balasaheb was to the public of Maharashtra, just as there is no need to explai n the politics behind this decision,” he said.The Sena (UBT) on Thursday appointed three new vibhag pramukhs ahead of the BMC polls. Udesh Patekar was appointed head of zone 1, which includes Borivli, Dahisar and Magathane. Patekar replaced MLC Vilas Potnis. Ajit Bhandari will be the new head for zone 2, which consists of Kandivli (East), Charkop and Malad (West). He replaced Sudhakar Su rve. Pramod Shinde will lead zone 9, which comprises Anushaktinagar, Chembur and Sion-Koliwada. Shinde replaced former corporator Mangesh Satamkar.
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