A bonhomie and affection was at the display when the grandson of former prime minister Indira Gandhi and the Congress MP Mr Rahul Gandhi and the grandson of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and former minister Mr Aaditya Thackeray hugged each other and walked together in Bharat Jodi Yatra in Hingoli district on Friday. What was interesting was that both have a huge following among youth who had participated in the Yatra and were standing along the roads shouting slogans in their favour. The Congress MP from Kerala and Mr Aaditya Thackeray waved to people assembled along the route.
In Hingoli, a group of people who arrived to cheer the march, including a large number of women and children, even brought an elephant along.
It was the maiden meeting between Gandhi scion and Thackeray sibling today especially after the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government comprising Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. While Mr Gandhi is leading the Yatra against hatred, Mr Thackeray is travelling across the state exposing treachery by 40 party legislators. Mr Thackeray’s presence was to reassure the tie up will continue in the upcoming assembly and Lok Sabha elections with a common objective of keeping BJP-Shinde camp at bay. With Mr Gandhi and Mr Thackeray walking together, it has also sent a strong signal to the state Congress leaders to stop talking about going solo in the state instead the strong signal was sent for further strengthening the alliance.
It must be mentioned here that the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief and former chief minister Mr Uddhav Thackeray and Congress party’s former president Ms Sonia Gandhi enjoy very cordial relations. The duo used to have a constant conversation when Mr Thackeray was heading the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
The Shiv Sena UBT MP Mr Sanjay Raut said ‘’Rahul Gandhi and Aaditya Thackeray, who are youth leaders, today walked together in Bharat Jodo Yatra and they have ability to lead the country.’’
