Raj announces launch of his party; to contest civic polls

Mumbai, Mar 9: Almost three months after he quit the Shiv Sena, Raj Thackeray today announced the launch of his new party--Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

The party will be formally launched at a public rally at Shivaji Park at Dadar in Central Mumbai on March 19, Mr Thackeray, who would be its president, said.

Addressing a crowded press conference at the Y B Chavan Centre at Nariman Point here in the presence of his wife Sharmila and son, he virtually sounded a warning to his parent organisation-Shiv Sena-by announcing that his new party will contest the February, 2007, elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is in the control of the Sena.

Mr Thackeray said he has so far not considered an alliance with any party in the civic elections.

Mr Raj Thackeray, who had quit the Sena accusing his cousin and Executive President Uddhav of running the party with the help of 'clerks', said, without elaborating, that he would not repeat the mistakes that the party had committed. Mr Thackeray also refused to comment on the criticism by his octogenarian uncle, Bal Thackeray, who he says he respects like 'Vithoba''.

Adhering to the calls of the Sena supremo not to use his pictures, the venue where Mr Raj Thackeray addressed the media had just a bust of warrior king Shivaji and a portrait of his grandfather Prabodhankar Keshav Thackeray.

Asked if children of senior Sena leaders were coming to him, Mr Thackeray said, ''I have not invited anyone. However, those who feel like coming to me, are welcome'' While Atul, son of senior leader and former MP Madhukar Sarpotdar, has been with Raj, former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi's son Unmesh is his business partner in the purchase of Kohinoor Mill land at Dadar, opposite the 'Sena Bhawan'.

Mr Thackeray said he would try to give jobs to relatives of the mill workers in the management and construction when the work at the Kohinoor mill land begins and called upon others to follow suit.

The business firms of Raj Thackeray and Unmesh Joshi have purchased the Kohinoor mill land for over Rs 400 crore.

Clad in traditional white 'kurta and pyjama', Mr Thackeray, accompanied by former Sena MLC Shishir Shinde, was reluctant to give further details of the new outfit before its formal launch on March 19. Stating that he would announce other details and policies at the rally, he said that the new party would have tri-colour flag of blue, saffron and green.

Asked if there was space for a fifth party at the already crowded political horizon of Maharashtra, a lean Mr Thackeray quipped, ''considering my physique, I think I can create a space for myself.'' Terming his decision to quit the Sena as a painful one, he said, ''there were only two options before me. Either I quit politics or start a new party and I preferred the latter.'' Mr Thackeray stepped down from the post of Deputy Leader and presidentship of Vidyarthi Sena on November 17 and resigned from the primary membership of the Sena on December 18 last year.

UNI