Mumbai : Aaditya Thackeray, son of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Saturday said that exit of “certain elements” from the party had changed its image.
Scions of three political families in Maharashtra Saturday came together at a TV debate organised by India Today group.
Asked if he saw threat to Shiv Sena from his uncle and MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Aaditya said, “My job is to focus on Shiv Sena.”
“You must have noticed that after 2004, Shiv Sena’s image underwent a change after some elements left the party,” he added, in an apparent reference to exits of Narayan Rane and Raj Thackeray.
“There is a Thackeray in everybody in the Shiv Sena,” said Aaditya.
Batting for vibrant nightlife in Mumbai, he said eateries and malls should be allowed to remain open till 6 am.
Amit Deshmukh, a Minister of State in Maharashtra and son of the late Vilasrao Deshmukh, opposed the proposal. Attention should be given to the possibility of rise in crime if such a proposal was allowed, he said.
BJP MP Poonam Mahajan, daughter of the late Pramod Mahajan, criticised Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil for his remark that even if a policeman were to be put up in every house crimes against women won’t stop. “We have a Home Minister who can’t protect the women,” she said.
Asked if anyone in Congress who isn’t from a political dynasty could become the Prime Minister, Amit said, “Why not”. Sonia Gandhi made Manmohan Singh, who does not belong to a political family, the PM, he pointed out. -PTI
