Fadnavis reappoints Uddhav as chairman of Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial Committee

The Maharashtra government has issued a Government Resolution (GR) reappointing Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as the chairman of the Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial Committee, with his son Aaditya Thackeray and Subhash Desai appointed as members of the committee.

The move is said to have the blessings of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

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Besides BJP MLA Parag Alwani, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena leader Shishir Shinde have also been appointed as members of the memorial committee even as the Balasaheb Thackeray National Memorial is under construction at Shivaji Park in Dadar West.

The Maharashtra state government had announced a memorial for Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray near the site of the Mayor’s Bungalow at Shivaji Park in Dadar West. On September 27, 2016, a public trust and organisation was established under the chairmanship of Uddhav Thackeray.

However, after the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Uddhav Thackeray resigned from the post of chairman of the memorial committee.

However, the latest state government decision has sparked off discussion in political circles. Since Deputy CM Eknath Shinde’s party has the Shiv Sena symbol and name, Shinde was keen on heading the Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial Committee, or at least remain on the trust for reasons of political optics and legacy.

However, the BJP rejected Shinde’s wishes and chose to reappoint Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as chairman of the Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial Committee.

The question being discussed in political circles here is whether the Fadnavis government is deliberately trying to strengthen Uddhav Thackeray’s profile by choosing to reappoint him as chairman of the Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial Committee in order to check Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.