Mumbai : In a bid to maintain the Thackerays’ domination in Shiv Sena, party chief Bal Thackeray introduced his grandson Aditya to his followers at a rally that marked the Dussehra on Sunday.
The third-generation Thackeray is tipped to take over the party?s youth wing, political observers believe.
Speculations over Aditya’s new move was going round as many had been doubting the capability of his father, Uddhav Thackeray, to lead the Sena.
Over the past few years, the Shiv Sena has lost considerable political ground, especially to Raj Thackeray?s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.
Raj Thackeray, who?s the senior Thackeray?s nephew, had hijacked the show from the Sena.
In the Maharashtra Assembly polls held in 2009, MNS not only won 13 seats, it ensured the defeat of the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in many more constituencies.
Aditya Thackeray, who is seen as Thackeray senior?s heir-apparent, has been in the news for his protests against Rohinton Mistry’s book ‘Such A Long Journey’, which has anti-Sena remarks.
Under Aditya?s leadership the students’ wing of the Sena had burnt copies of the novel last month and petitioned Mumbai University Vice-Chancellor Rajan Welukar to drop it from the second-year BA syllabus.