Won't contest any election, says Uddhav Thackeray after son Aaditya files nomination from Worli

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said that he won't contest any election.

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday reiterated that won't contest any election in future after his son Aaditya filed his nomination from the Worli assembly constituency to contest the upcoming assembly election in Maharashtra.

Speaking to reporters, Uddhav Thackeray said, ''Aaditya has filed his nomination from Worli... I hope that the voters here will support and bless him in the upcoming poll.''

''There has been a long tradition of doing social service in my family. We had earlier thought of not contesting any election but the times are changing now....I promise that Aditya will do everything for the welfare of the people in his constituency and Maharashtra.''

''I won't contest an election,'' the Sena chief said while adding that his son will always be able to hear and resolve the grievances of his people.

Ahead of that Shiv Sena held a massive roadshow in Mumbai.

Before leaving his residence, Aaditya sought blessings from Shiv Sena founder and grandfather Bal Thackeray.

“Since childhood, I loved politics. Many Shiv Sainiks might have seen that I used to travel with my grandfather and father. Whenever my friends and others questioned me what else you can do apart from politics, I told them I can’t do anything apart from politics,” the 29-year-old had said.

Since the Shiv Sena’s founding in the 1960s, no Thackeray family member in three generations has fought a direct election. So, Aaditya’s foray into election points to a fundamental shift in the Shiv Sena’s political thinking, which had so far insulated the Thackeray clan from playing a hands-on role in running governments.

“This is a historic step for me. As I am taking a big leap, I am not worried as all shiv sainiks are there with me,” the Sena scion had said.

Aaditya is the first member of the Thackeray family to contest an election after Shalini Thackeray,  who had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Shalini is the wife of Jeetendra Thackeray, a cousin of MNS founder Raj Thackeray.

Aditya Thackeray, a BA and LLB, is the son of Uddhav and Rashmi Thackeray and has a younger brother, Tejas Thackeray. While a section of the party has been projecting Aditya Thackeray as the chief ministerial candidate of Shiv Sena, others have been clamouring for Uddhav Thackeray to take the plunge himself -- developments that have not gone down well with Sena`s wary ally, the BJP.

Ostensibly preparing the groundwork for his candidacy, Aditya Thackeray had toured the state extensively during his `Jan Aashirwad Yatra`.

Currently represented by Sena MLA Sunil Shinde, the Worli seat was earlier held by former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) minister Sachin Ahir, who left the NCP to join the Shiv Sena two months ago.

Aditya Thackeray was appointed as the Yuva Sena President in 2010 and was subsequently named a `leader` of the Shiv Sena in 2018. A fitness and sports enthusiast, he is also the President of the Mumbai District Football Association.

He enjoys a considerable degree of popularity among the Gen Next and is presently championing the cause for protecting the Aarey Milk Colony, a green lung of Mumbai in Goregaon, where the government plans to construct a car shed for Metro Line 3.

Maharashtra goes to polls on October 21 and the results will be announced on October 24.