Uddhav Thackeray emerging as a key player in INDIA?

Uddhav Thackeray is emerging as a key player in the INDIA coalition, holding closed-door chats with AAP's Arvind Kejriwal and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee.

The developments of the past few weeks indicate that Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is emerging as a key player in the INDIA coalition.

Ever since he parted ways with the BJP in 2019, Uddhav Thackeray has been periodically reaching out to regional satraps such as Kejriwal, Banerjee, Nitish Kumar and M K Stalin. ( Praful Gangurde / HT Photo)

On the sidelines of the opposition bloc’s meeting in Delhi this week, Thackeray had a closed-door chat with AAP chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the trouble the AAP is facing in forging an alliance with Congress in Delhi and Punjab. Thackeray also had discussions with Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on the concerns among INDIA allies that things such as seat-sharing and setting the agenda for theLok Sabha campaign are not moving at a faster pace. According to his close aides, Thackeray has been raising these issues with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

“If we are part of a coalition against BJP, we also have a lot at stake. We have to ensure that things happen the way we would like them to. Unlike Kejriwal and Banerjee, Thackeray does not have an uneasy relation with Congress. Hence, he is trying to resolve certain issues,” said a top Shiv Sena (UBT) leader.

Ever since he parted ways with the BJP in 2019, Thackeray has been periodically reaching out to regional satraps such as Kejriwal, Banerjee, Nitish Kumar and M K Stalin. His son, Aaditya too has been keeping in touch with leaders such as Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh and Tejasvi Yadav in Bihar. Thackeray also shares cordial relations with the Congress top brass. Significantly, it was Shiv Sena (UBT) which was the first to demand that there should be a convenor or coordinator for the INDIA coalition. Thackeray also apparently supported the name of Kharge for the position.

Gadkari’s straight-talk

Union minister Nitin Gadkari is known for not mincing his words. Speaking at a function in Vile Parle on Thursday, Gadkari did some hard talk about the state of affairs in politics. He said there is no connection between parties and ideologies now. “There are no rightists nor leftists. We are only opportunists,” Gadkari remarked, and added: “You never know who will jump from one party to another.”

While most politicians in the state chose to keep quiet, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar seemed to have taken it personally. “In a democracy, anybody can go anywhere. The Constitution has given the right to the citizens,” he reacted, when asked by mediapersons about Gadkari’s comments. “Even you change jobs from one media house to other,” he told the reporters. Pawar, however, was a bit irked when someone pointed out that a job and ideology are different.

“What happened when the MVA was formed by parties who are ideologically against each other?” he retorted. His cousin Supriya Sule tried to rub salt in the wound. “Gadkariji speaks the truth. He is a committed politician,” she remarked.

Another Pawar in politics

A wrestling competition organised in Baramati has led to speculations on the entry of a young member of Pawar family in politics. Yugendra, son of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s brother Shriniwas, could be joining politics soon. Significantly, Yugendra seems to be joining not his uncle but NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Posters have been put up in Baramati with pictures of senior Pawar and Yogendra on the occasion of the wrestling competition where the NCP chief would be the chief guest. An entrepreneur by profession, Yugendra is also president of Baramati Wrestling Association and treasurer of Sharad Pawar founded Vidya Pratishthan.

Yugendra’s inclination towards senior Pawar is not surprising. He was seen with the latter on several occasions after his uncle Ajit split the NCP to join Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government with a group of MLAs.

The timing of Yugendra’s entry in politics is interesting. It is happening when Ajit Pawar is gearing to wrest control of the family bastion, Baramati from his uncle. Ajit also recently announced that his party would be contesting Baramati Lok Sabha constituency currently represented by Pawar’s daughter, Supriya Sule. There are speculations that Ajit could field his wife Sunetra or son Parth who had unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha elections from Maval constituency in 2019.

When Raj’s wife defended Aaditya

Though there is no love lost between the warring Thackeray cousins Uddhav and Raj, the latter’s wife Sharmila Thackeray defended nephew Aaditya when mediapersons asked her about the SIT probe into allegations against the Thackeray scion in Disha Salian case. “I don’t think he will be involved in anything like that,” Sharmila said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, publicly thanked Sharmila for her support to his son. A day later, Sharmila’s reminded her brother-in-law that he never showed any support to Raj. “Unfortunately, Uddhav Thackeray never gave us an opportunity to thank him. Since Kini case, there were several occasions when he often taunted us but never showed faith in his younger brother,” she lamented while speaking to the media.