Amid Raj Thackeray's rally on Feb 9, CM Uddhav summons Shiv Sena meeting: Sources

In a big development, sources told Republic TV on Friday that Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has called an urgent party meeting on February 9. Incidentally, his cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray is scheduled to lead a massive protest rally on the same day demanding the ouster of Pakistani and Bangladeshi infiltrators. In the meeting, as per sources, senior leaders of the Sena are likely to evolve a strategy to counter Raj Thackeray’s Hindutva push. According to sources, the Sena chief will chair the meeting. 

Read: MNS Accords 'Hero Of Hindus' Title To Raj Thackeray, Prints T-shirts Before Feb 9 Rally

Shiv Sena's ideological dilemma

Since Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the CM of Maharashtra, the Sena is being perceived to have moved away from its Hindutva stance owing to the compulsions of its alliance with NCP and Congress. The ideological dilemma for the Sena has come to the fore on issues such as the Citizenship Amendment Act and Veer Savarkar. In the case of the former, the Sena MPs adopted a different position in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. On the other hand, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut defended Savarkar both on Twitter as well as in the Saamana newspaper. However, party supremo Uddhav Thackeray refused to comment on Rahul Gandhi’s remark that had sparked off the controversy in the first place. 

Read: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale Urges CM Uddhav Thackeray To Implement CAA In Maharashtra

MNS veers towards Hindutva

Raj Thackeray made his party's tilt towards Hindutva official at the MNS convention on January 23, the birth anniversary of Balasaheb Thackeray. He commenced his speech by saying- “My Hindu brothers and sisters”. Raj Thackeray also explained that the newly adopted saffron flag was his original choice at the time of forming the MNS.

Taking the fight right to the Maharashtra CM's doorstep on Friday, MNS put up posters right outside his Matoshree residence. They challenged him to fulfill his commitment that he made in a recent interview. The posters contain the following message- ‘Honourable Chief Minister, if your stance is that Pakistani and Bangladeshi infiltrators must be thrown out of the country, then first clear the neighbourhoods in your Bandra backyard that are brimming with infiltrators’. 

Read: 'No Such Compulsion': Maha CM Uddhav On Not Paying Visit To PM Modi, Sonia Gandhi In Delhi

Read: Sharad Pawar's Comment Won't Sway Bhima-Koregaon Probe: CM Uddhav Not Kowtowing To Allies