Thackeray cousins ​​reunite: From Prabodinkar to Aaditya, the household that formed Maharashtra politics

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This time, with a fractured Shiv Sena and a resurgent BJP, the Thackeray household faces its hardest electoral battle but. Uddhav is relying on the standard Marathi vote financial institution, together with Muslim voters who supported the Shiv Sena (UBT) throughout the Sabah elections.

The Thackeray household, together with the Pawar household, is among the oldest political dynasties in Maharashtra. Check out the Thackeray household.


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Prabodinkar Thackeray (1885-1973)

Born Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, he emerged as a social reformer, socialist, author, and politician who fought towards untouchability, superstition, dowry, and baby marriage. He began the Marathi journal ‘Prabhodon (Enlightenment)’ which was later given the identify ‘Prabhodonkar’.

A fierce critic of Brahmanical rule, his political involvement intensified after he turned a number one determine within the Samyukt Maharashtra motion, which advocated for Mumbai to stay a part of the state of Maharashtra on linguistic grounds. He gave the identify ‘Shiv Sena’ to Bal Thackeray’s outfit.

He had eight kids – Bal Thackeray, youthful brothers Shrikant and Ramesh, and 5 daughters. Amongst his daughters, Sanjeevani Karandikar shared an in depth bond with Bal Thackeray and labored on the Reserve Financial institution of India.

“Uddhav Thackeray desires to comply with within the footsteps of his grandfather and contact the trail of reformism within the Shiv Sena,” stated a Shiv Sena official near Thackeray.

Bal Thackeray (1926-2012)

Prabodinkar’s eldest son started his profession as a journalist by creating political cartoons for the British day by day Free Press Journal. He left to start out his personal political weekly, Marmik, during which he highlighted the problems dealing with Marathi manu and the rising affect of non-Marathis in Mumbai’s employment sector.

To additional his trigger, he based the Shiv Sena in 1966.

The celebration’s first public assembly was held in October the identical 12 months on the iconic Shivaji Park floor in Dussehra.

Shiv Sainik Subhash Desai, a retired military officer, informed The Print on the day: “One among his advisors was towards holding it at Shivaji Park, fearing that the location wouldn’t be stuffed. However Balasaheb stated, ‘No matter occurs, let it occur on that land alone. At the least that manner I’ll know whether or not I’m proper or fallacious.'”

In opposition to all expectations, the bottom was thronged with supporters, cementing Bal Thackeray’s place within the coronary heart of Marathi Manu. After that, the annual Dussehra gathering turned a practice.

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Moreover championing the reason for the Marathi language, he additionally based the Lokadhikar Samiti to assist Marathi youth put together for presidency exams and safe employment.

The Eighties marked a shift because the Shiv Sena pivoted from Marathi identification politics to Hindutva. After the Bombay riots of 1992-1993, Bal Thackeray adopted a hardline Hindutva stand. He was banned from voting and standing in elections for six years within the late Nineties for soliciting votes within the identify of faith.

In 1988, he based the Marathi day by day Saamna, which stays the celebration’s mouthpiece.

Recognized for his flamboyant persona, Thackeray by no means hid his behavior, famously smoking cigars and favoring purple wine, which he claimed was good for the guts.

At his peak, visiting dignitaries from Mumbai and India, together with politicians similar to L. Okay. Advani and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, visited him at his Matoshree dwelling.

Married to Meena Thackeray, the couple had three sons, Bindu Madhav (eldest son), Jaidev and Uddhav (youngest son). He handed away in November 2012.

Graphic | Manali Ghosh | The Print

Uddhav Thackeray

Bal Thackeray’s youngest son inherited his father’s political legacy. A photographer by commerce, Uddhav was reluctantly drawn into Shiv Sena politics within the early Nineties and took cost of its actions from behind the scenes.

In 2003, Bal Thackeray declared Uddhav the working president, signaling his intention to hold on the celebration’s legacy, a call that soured Uddhav’s relationship along with his cousin Raj.

From 2003 onwards, Uddhav took an energetic half in celebration affairs. Even after his father’s demise, he continued to guide the Shiv Sena as celebration president.

The Shiv Sena, a robust regional power in Maharashtra and a political associate of the Bharatiya Janata Celebration, witnessed cracks on this alliance throughout the 2014 meeting elections, the primary polls after Bal Thackeray’s demise. Regardless of the cut up, the Shiv Sena recorded its finest efficiency ever, profitable 63 seats within the 288-member state meeting.

The events shaped an alliance after the polls to control the state, however bickering continued. In 2017, they contested BMC elections individually for the primary time, making it Uddhav’s first native physique election as celebration chief.

Relations fully soured in 2019 over the promise of a two-and-a-half-year time period as prime minister, which the Bharatiya Janata Celebration denied. This ended the partnership between the BJP and Shiv Sena.

Uddhav finally joined forces with the Congress and NCP to type the Maha Vikas Aghadi authorities and have become the chief minister, the primary put up for Mr. Thackeray.

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Nevertheless, his fortunes reversed in June 2022 when his trusted aide Eknath Shinde engineered a vertical division throughout the celebration.

Within the 2024 meeting elections, Mr. Uddhav’s Sena received solely 20 out of 288 seats, the worst efficiency within the celebration’s historical past.

Perceived as a mild-mannered individual, Uddhav’s ideological stance and management type differ from that of his father, who was recognized for not mincing his phrases or thundering when he spoke.

Uddhav is married to Rashmi Thackeray and so they have two sons. Mr. Aditya is an energetic politician and is at present an MLA, whereas Mr. Tejas pursues wildlife analysis and runs the Thackeray Basis.

Bindumadhav Thackeray

Bal Thackeray’s eldest son died in a automobile accident within the Nineties. He has one son, Nihar Thackeray, an advocate.

Jaydev Thackeray

Bal Thackeray’s second son has been married thrice. His first spouse was Jayashree Kalelkar, the daughter of a Marathi literary scholar. The couple divorced within the Nineties, after which Jaidev’s relationship with the Thackeray household started to deteriorate. He has a son from his first marriage.

Jaidev later married movie producer Smita Thackeray, who at present runs the NGO Mukti Basis. They’ve two kids, a son and a daughter. After the demise of his mom Meena Thackeray in 1996, Jaydev moved out of Matoshree, however Smita continued to reside in Matoshree till their divorce was finalized in 2004.

He’s at present married to Anuradha Thackeray and so they have a daughter. Jaidev is a painter, however is believed to have distanced himself from politics resulting from his tense relationship with Bal Thackeray.

Shrikant Thackeray (1930-2003)

Prabodinkar’s son and Raj Thackeray’s father had expertise in each artwork and music. He was primarily a composer, additionally labored as a author and journalist, and performed the violin.

He turned the editor of the journal ‘Marmik’, which was began by Bal Thackeray. Earlier than beginning his unbiased music profession, Shrikant labored briefly with All India Radio in Mumbai. As a composer, he created ghazals and collaborated with artists like Mohammad Rafi.

He married Kunda Thackeray, sister of Balu’s spouse Meena Thackeray. He handed away in 2003.

Raj Thackeray

Since Shrikant Thackeray’s son Raj entered politics early and had shut ties with Bal Thackeray, many anticipated Raj to take over Bal’s political position. He took an energetic half in Shiv Sena operations from a younger age.

Nevertheless, when Uddhav was appointed working president of Shiv Sena in 2003, Raj felt slighted. He left the celebration in 2004 and based the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in 2006.

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This celebration attracted appreciable consideration. He received 13 seats within the first meeting elections in 2009 and was elected to the Nashik municipal council at his peak. Nevertheless, since 2014, the celebration’s help rankings have declined.

File photo of Bal Thackeray with son Uddhav and nephew Raj | By special arrangement
File picture of Bal Thackeray (centre), son Uddhav (proper) and nephew Raj | By particular association

Raj is thought for often altering his political stance. Through the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he supported the opposition celebration towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however later switched to supporting and praising the Prime Minister. He adopted harsh Hindutva rhetoric that lasted till 2024, when he supported Mr. Modi as prime ministerial candidate, however then resumed criticizing Mr. Modi quickly after.

His celebration is now centered on relevance. He’s married to Sharmila Thackeray, the daughter of a Marathi movie photographer. They’ve two kids. My son Amit is a politician and my daughter Urvashi works within the trend business.


Additionally learn: When Shiv Sena ministers have been informed to take away Raj Thackeray’s picture from the cabin.


Aaditya Thackeray

The Worli MLA was appointed as the top of Yuva Sena, the celebration’s youth wing, in 2010 on the age of 20 by his grandfather in a public assembly. Yuva Sena works on universities, universities and different youth-related points.

In 2019, Mr. Aaditya contested the Meeting elections for the primary time as Mr. Thackeray and received comfortably. He served as Minister of Tourism and Surroundings within the MVA authorities. He’s a frequent speaker on city points, the setting, schooling, and concrete planning.

Mr. Aaditya is up for re-election in 2024, albeit with a diminished vote share, and is tasked with securing the Mumbai Municipal Company for the Shiv Sena.

Tejas Thackeray

Mr. Uddhav’s youthful son is a conservationist and wildlife researcher who runs the Thackeray Wildlife Basis. He and his basis have been concerned within the discovery of assorted wildlife species.

To his credit score, he named crabs, snakes, and geckos after relations. His newest discovery is a brand new species of furry snail found within the Tillari forest vary of Maharashtra.

He toured the state, from the Sahyadris to the Jap Ghats, Arunachal Pradesh, the Andaman Mountains, Indonesia and several other different locations.

Though he denies having any political ambitions, he repeatedly attends Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rallies and different essential celebration occasions, fueling hypothesis a couple of doable future foray into politics.

Amit Thackeray

Raj Thackeray’s son is energetic in MNS points. He ran for his first parliamentary election in 2024, however misplaced.


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