'Maharashtra will be my karmabhoomi': Aaditya Thackeray on contesting polls

Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday cleared all speculations and announced that he will jump into politics in the upcoming Assembly elections and contest from the Worli constituency, a party stronghold in Mumbai. Thackeray, a third generation politician, is the first person from his family to contest elections.

Addressing party workers in Worli, Thackeray said that he was interested in politics since his childhood. “I will contest the election. Though Worli will be my constituency, the entire state of Maharashtra will be my karmabhoomi,” the 29-year-old Sena scion said, reported Hindustan Times.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray could not remain present for the announcement as he was busy with distribution of AB forms to other party candidates. However, Thackeray was joined by his mother Rashmi and younger brother Tejas at the event. “It is a big moment for me. I am taking a big leap; am confident that you (party workers) all are there with me. Like we will develop Worli, similarly we will develop Maharashtra and take it to a global level,” he told workers.

Aaditya also said that he wasn’t venturing into electoral politics for his ‘ambition’. He said, “The decision is not for me and not for my ambition. I am doing this to build a new Maharashtra. I do not run after my dream, but will work for the dreams of others. This is the time to rid Maharashtra of unemployment and removing castes in the state.”

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, who has seen the rise of the party said, “It is true that nobody from the Thackeray family has ever contested the polls. But, sometimes rules need to be changed to make history.”

Thackeray is expected to file his nomination papers on October 3, senior party functionaries said.

Shortly after the announcement, the Sena also announced that Aaditya Thackeray, 29, will be the party's chief ministerial candidate. Its long-time ally, the BJP, has made it clear it is not on board with the idea.

Aaditya Thackeray made his announcement at a function this evening where he held up a traditional sword, cheered by workers, to mark his new outing.

He had been building up to it. In July, he jump-started his campaign with a "Jan Ashirwad Yatra", a state-wide outreach to "thank voters" for their support in the national election and to canvass votes for the state polls.