Uddhav will not hold rally in Mahim, Raj avoids targeting Aaditya in Worli
Uddhav Thackeray won't campaign in Mahim, while Raj Thackeray avoids targeting Aaditya, sparking speculation of an informal understanding between them.
MUMBAI: On Thursday, as Uddhav Thackeray said he will not hold any campaign rally in Mahim, even as Raj Thackeray avoided targeting Aaditya Thackeray at a rally in Worli, speculations were rife if the cousins had an informal understanding to protect each other’s sons in their respective constituencies.
Uddhav’s son and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray is contesting from Worli, while his cousin, MNS leader Amit Thackeray, Raj’s son, is making his electoral debut from Mahim.
Amit Thackeray will face Shiv Sena MLA Sada Sarvankar and Sena (UBT) candidate Mahesh Sawant. Like him, Aaditya too is facing a triangular contest with Shiv Sena candidate Milind Deora and MNS’s Sandeep Deshpande in his constituency.
“I don’t need to hold a rally in Mahim, as it has been our constituency. MVA had one rally in Mumbai; now all my rallies will be outside the city. I trust Mumbaikars and they trust me,” said Uddhav.
The Sena (UBT) chief may address a rally at Shivaji Park to conclude his campaign. Though the ground falls in Mahim constituency, the rally won’t be specifically for Mahim. It also implies that neither Uddhav nor Aaditya will campaign against Amit. Uddhav, however, is likely to address a few public meetings in different parts of Mumbai, said Sena (UBT) insiders.
On Thursday as he addressed a public meeting in Worli for MNS candidate Sandeep Deshpande, party chief Raj Thackeray did not target or criticise Aaditya, even though he slammed Uddhav.
Meanwhile, Amit Thackeray told the media that he was not expecting any support from Sena (UBT). “We don’t expect anyone to return favours,” he said, referring to MNS’s support to Aaditya when the latter first contested the assembly election in 2019. MNS did not field any candidate opposite him.