Show Bal Thackeray memorial facts: CM Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: Now that the Shiv Sena has decided to go solo in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis seems to be wooing the party by removing hurdles in the way of setting up a memorial of Sena supremo, late Balasaheb Thackeray, by converting the mayor’s bungalow at Dadar, said Sena sources. Mr Fadnavis has asked officials to prepare a Detailed Project Report for Thackeray’s memorial. But the issues of the mayor’s bungalow and shifting of the nursery school have not yet been resolved.

Despite Mr Fadnavis’ assurance to build the Thackeray memorial, obstacles have not yet been cleared even after passage of three years. With the Sena’s decision to go solo in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections next year, if the memorial work is not completed, Sena workers and supporters will get even more angry, affecting the BJP politically. NCP MP Supriya Sule too declared a “Maun Vrat” agitation in Pune on account of memorial issues. The CM has declared memorials of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Dr Ambedkar, Balasaheb Thackeray and others however there has been little progress till date.

Against this backdrop, the CM has taken a review meeting about the Thackeray memorial as Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, too, is unhappy about the delay. Officials and members of the trust have given a presentation about the memorial to the CM and he has directed that a DPR of the project be prepared to include parking etc.