Raj meets ailing Bal Thackeray, fuels speculation

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, in the limelight for ‘hijacking’ Shiv Sena’s ‘Marathi pride’ agenda, today met his uncle and Sena chief Bal Thackeray, their first meeting since he left Sena and launched MNS in 2006.

MNS sources maintained that Raj met the octogenarian leader at Matoshree, the latter’s residence in suburban Bandra, to enquire about his health but the meeting has fuelled speculations.

“There will be an impact within cadres of Sena and MNS over the uncle-nephew meeting”, MNS sources said. Raj, who looks and even speaks like his illustrious uncle, was tipped to succeed him. However, it is cousin Uddhav who now manages the party. The last time Raj met the senior Thackeray was on January 23, 2006, the Sena chief’s birthday.

“I went to meet him today to return some of his old books I still had with me. We spoke about cartoons, old memories,” Raj, who like his uncle is a cartoonist of repute, said. “We spoke on topics other than politics,” Raj said.

Uddhav, following differences with whom Raj quit Sena and floated MNS, was present at the meeting. Raj said he got a call from his uncle in the morning today asking him to send some old books to Matoshree.