Uddhav Thackeray
Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray's nephew meets Eknath Shinde, offers support
Mumbai: Uddhav Thackeray, who was forced to step down as the chief minister of Maharashtra after a coup by Shiv Sena MLAs and is struggling to hold on to the legacy of the party founded by his father Bal Thackeray, suffered another setback as his nephew Nihar Thackeray met Eknath Shinde and pledged his support.
Nihar Thackeray is the son of Bindumadhav Thackeray, the eldest son of Bal Thackeray. The other two sons being Uddhav Thackeray and Jaidev Thackeray.
Eknath Shinde tweeted about the meeting in Marathi with a picture. The translated tweet reads: "Nihar Thackeray, grandson of venerable Hindu heart emperor Balasaheb Thackeray and son of Bindumadhav Thackeray today announced his support to the coalition government. On this occasion, he was warmly welcomed and wished for his future social and political career."
वंदनीय हिंदुहृदयसम्राट शिवसेनाप्रमुख बाळासाहेब ठाकरे यांचे नातू व बिंदूमाधव ठाकरे यांचे सुपुत्र निहार ठाकरे यांनी आज भेट घेऊन युती सरकारला समर्थन जाहीर केले. याप्रसंगी त्यांचे मनापासून स्वागत करित भावी सामाजिक व राजकीय कारकिर्दीकरिता शुभेच्छा दिल्या.#NiharBindumadhavThackeray pic.twitter.com/2Li3q70w8A
— Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) July 29, 2022
The Thackeray brothers have never been close, both politically and at personal level. The differences also emerged when the brothers disputed over Bal Thackeray's will some time after his death in 2012, said media reports.
Being a film producer, Bindumadhav Thackeray was never active in poitics. His son's meeting with Shinde is also seen as a symbolic move.
Nevertheless, he has a strong political background. Apart from being Bal Thakeray's grandson, he is the son-in-law of BJP leader Harshvardhan Patil's daughter, Ankita Patil. Harshvardhan Patil was, earlier, in Congress and was a minister for several years.
Eknath Shinde took the oath as the chief minister of Maharashtra on June 30 after weeks of political tussle. The majority of Shiv Sena MLAs sided with Eknath Shinde citing dissatisfaction over Uddhav Thackeray's alliance with Congress and NCP, ignoring party's "natural" ally BJP.
They said Shiv Sena workers had been suffering because of the alliance and partneship was not beneficial to the party.
Uddhav Thackeray has accused Eknath Shinde of betrayal and hitting him at a time when he was recuperating from a surgery.
"My government is gone, the Chief Minister's post is gone, I have no regrets. But my own people turned out to be traitors. They were trying to pull down my government when I was recovering from my surgery," Uddhav Thackeray said.
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