Aaditya Thackeray to contest Maharashtra polls; 'Howdy Adi,' says Raut

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday backed Aaditya Thackeray's candidature in the upcoming assembly polls and said that the entire state of Maharashtra has been waiting for this historic announcement. He said that the state is thankful to Thackeray to have taken the responsibility to lead it. Referring to the grand 'Howdy, Modi' event held at Houston, New York earlier this month, Raut also said that Maharashtra is all set to say, 'Howdy, Adi!'

Raut backs Aaditya Thackeray for CM post

The Shiv Sena MP also said that it was because of some technical glitch that ISRO's Chandrayaan 2 failed to land on the moon but we (Shiv Sena) will ensure that this 'sun' (Aaditya Thackeray) lands on the 6th floor of Mantralaya on 21st October. This was in reference to the Chief Minister's office which is located on the 6th floor of Mantralaya. The Shiv Sena party has been projecting Thackeray as the chief ministerial candidate if the NDA returns to power after the assembly polls scheduled next month. Further, Raut added that if Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray would have been alive today, he would have been extremely happy to hear that Aaditya Thackeray was contesting elections.

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Aaditya to be the first of Thackeray family to contest polls

The Shiv Sena confirmed on Sunday that Aaditya Thackeray will be contesting the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly Polls from the Worli constituency.  He will become the first member of the Thackeray family to contest elections, and if he wins, the first member to represent the people. Ever since the Shiv Sena was formed in 1966 by Bal Thackeray, no member of the family had contested any election or held any constitutional post.  

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Aaditya Thackeray is currently the President of the party's youth wing, Yuva Sena and has been playing an active role in politics over the last few years. Aaditya has been on a Jan Ashirwad Yatra since July and completed the fourth phase of the yatra on September 18. In the four phases, he has covered 111 assembly constituencies in 25 districts. He is going to begin the fifth phase on Tuesday, October 2 from Nagpur. 

READ | Shiv Sena's Aaditya Thackeray Takes Up Aarey Matter, Calls Out MMRCL

READ | Aaditya Thackeray To Contest From Worli In The Maharashtra Elections