Shiv Sena chief to address party workers on Friday

Mumbai, Dec 20 (UNI) Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray will address party workers on Friday at a meeting scheduled to be attended by all senior party leaders.

Senior Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Manohar Joshi told UNI that all shakha pramukhs and Upshakha pramukhs apart from Vibhag pramukhs, corporators and legislators from the city would be attending the function at Rangsharada, Bandra.

The meeting will be addressed by Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray, and Mr Joshi apart the Sena Chief himself.

The meeting carries significance in the backdrop of the scheduled elections to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation scheduled for February 1 next year.

The Sena-BJP alliance has been ruling the prestigious and high profile civic body since 1985 till date, barring a gap of four years.

Mr Thackeray's plans to hold public meetings in Mumbai and Thane is expected to be announced at the same time. Mr Thackeray, who would turn 80 on January 23 is likely to address a public meeting on the same day.

Shiv Sena has been facing a rough weather for the last one year as eight of its legislators including then leader of the Opposition Narayan Rane left the party and joined Congress. This exodus was followed by Mr Thackeray's nephew Raj Thackeray who floated his own political outfit Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

Everyone is pointing fingers at Uddhav Thackeray and his leadership qualities. It is in this situation that senior Thackeray has come forward to take on the responsibility of campaign again, political observers feel.

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