Bal Thackeray critical, ’please pray,’ urges son Uddhav

Mangalore Today/ ITV

Mumbai, Nov 15: 86-year-old Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has been put on life-support and is in critical condition at his home in Mumbai.

At 2 am, his son Uddhav, emerged to tell hundreds of party workers, "Earlier too Balasaheb was in such a crisis. I have not lost hope. You too must not lose hope. All efforts are on. Please pray."

Earlier on Wednesday night, as the news spread of their leader’s health, Sena workers gathered outside his residence ’Matoshree’ in suburban Bandra, where security has been significantly increased.

 

Mr Thackeray’s nephew, Raj, who was estranged from him till recently, was at ’Matoshree.’ In 2006, Raj formed his own party, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena or MNS.

Actor Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek were among Mr Thackeray’s late-night visitors. Mr Bachchan’s kurta was torn according to some reports as he tried to make his way into the house through the huge crowd.


Mr Bachchan later tweeted, "Yes both Abhishek and me were injured with cuts, but are fine and back home ... the doctors at ’Matoshree’ attended on us !"

Actor Sanjay Dutt and his wife Manyata also met Mr Thackeray’s family late on Wednesday night.

A team of doctors stationed inside the house with nursing staff has been taking care of the Sena patriarch, who has been having breathing problems recently.

Last month, he could not attend his party’s annual Dussehra rally in Mumbai, but addressed it through a video recorded message.


Know Bal Thackeray and his family

 

New Delhi, Nov 14: Bal Keshav Thackeray is known as a fiery right wing leader of Maharashtra. A cartoonist by profession, Thackeray formed ‘Shiv Sena’ that espoused the cause of Maratha interest and Marathi language.
After a long struggle, Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, in alliance with BJP, succeeded in snatching power from Congress in 1995. The Shiv Sena-BJP government ruled Maharashtra from 1995-99.
Bal Thackeray is one of those controversial politicians of India who is blamed for fanning communal and regional chauvinism in Maharashtra. But he is a force to reckon with in Maharashtra politics.

In his early days, Bal Thackeray targeted Gujaratis, Marwaris, and southern Indians in Mumbai for grabbing jobs and depriving native Mumbaikars of their livelihood.

After that he championed the cause of aggressive Hindutva and targeted Muslims for their alleged anti- Hindu mindset. Recently, his party targeted North Indians, especially those belonging to UP and Bihar, for infiltrating Mumbai and snatching jobs from the natives.

Bal thackeray’s nephew Raj Thackeray used to be his lieutenant not very long ago but he parted ways with Bal Thackeray when the senior Thackeray decided to anoint his son Uddhav as the second-in-command of Shiv Sena. Today, Raj is heading his own party – Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

Thackeray family has played an important in Maharashtra Politics right from the days of separate statehood movement.

For last few days, Bal Thackeray’s health has deteriorated and he was on oxygen support till the last report came in.

It’s time to take a look at the family background of Bal Thackeray who has dominated the politics of Mumbai for more than last two decades now.