Days after the formation of a new government after the collapse of the party-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government following a rebellion by 40 legislators, the Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will launch a statewide Maha Prabodhan Yatra after the Ganapati festival from the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s stronghold Thane.
Thackeray, who has already announced plans to rejuvenate and revive the party organisation with the active participation of youths and old guards, will address the first rally at Tembhi Naka from where the former district chief Anand Dighe operated and vigorously worked for Shiv Sena’s growth in Thane district.
The selection of Tembhi Naka is quite obvious as Shinde, who staged the rebellion, has been arguing that he took the decision to join hands with the BJP to pursue the Hindutva of Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe. The proposed Maha Prabodhan Yatra will be concluded at Bindu Chowk at Kolhapur. This has been picked up as Shiv Sena district chief Sanjay Pawar lost the Rajya Sabha election to BJP nominee Dhananjay Mahadik who hails from the same district. Besides, two MPs and a few MLAs from Kolhapur district deserted the party and joined Shinde camp.
Thackeray’s proposed yatra comes close on the heels of his son and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray’s ongoing Shiv Samvad Yatra which is planned in the constituencies of rebel legislators. Aaditya is attracting crowds while reiterating that the ‘’traitors’’ have a plan not only to finish Shiv Sena but also the Thackeray family.
Thackeray through the proposed Maha Prabodhan Yatra proposes to charge up the cadre and send a strong message to the rebels and BJP that he may be down but not out. Thackeray plans to exhort the party cadre not to demoralise but step up outreach to the people for the party's revival ahead of the next assembly and Lok Sabha election.
Thackeray’s yatra comes in the wake of BJP’s announcement of Mission 45 to win maximum Lok Sabha seats of the total 48 seats in Maharashtra and also bag 200 plus seats in the state assembly with a new ruling partner Shinde camp. Both father and son, Uddhav and Aaditya have challenged the rebel legislators to resign and face a new election.
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