Aaditya Thackeray may help draw educated youth

Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray’s elevation as a Shiv Sena leader is an attempt by the party to reach out to the educated, cosmopolitan Marathi youth, claim party leaders. This also signals that younger leaders in the Sena will get more prominence. 

The elder son of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, who was launched in active politics by his grandfather, late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray at the party’s Dusshera rally in 2010, is seen as a suave, educated face of the otherwise blue-collared Sena.

Before helming the Yuva Sena, which was formed to tap into Marathi youth, who the Sena felt were being swayed by the rival Raj Thackeray-led MNS, Aaditya had successfully forced the University of Mumbai to withdraw Rohinton Mistry’s book ‘Such A Long Journey’ from its syllabus.

Also, in a marked departure from the Sena’s opposition to celebration of Valentine’s Day, Aaditya had called for rooftop restaurants to be started in Mumbai and open up the city’s nightlife by allowing commercial establishments to operate round-the-clock.

There are chances that Aaditya may contest the 2019 state assembly polls from a Sena stronghold in the western suburbs or the island city.

In 2007, Aaditya had published a compilation of poetry. Like father Uddhav, Aaditya is said to have imbibed a love for photography.

However, Shiv Sainiks pointed to how despite its penetration in Mumbai, the Yuva Sena needed to nurture grassroots-level leadership from across the state instead of confining itself to metros.

MEETING MINUTES 

• Remunerative pricing for agricultural produce, complete agri loan waiver, implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations
   
• Pension and social benefits for farmers, unorganised sector workers like labourers 
   
• Equal opportunity for women, concern over Love Jihad, crimes against women, foeticide
   
• Concern over social churn after Koregaon- Bhima caste clash