You too? Michael Jackson had reportedly told Bal Thackeray at the Shiv Sena chiefs house in Bandra during his visit to the city for a performance in 1996. It was a compliment from Jackson the great crowd-puller to Thackeray for his capacity to draw fans,recall a few Sena men. As news of Jacksons death trickled in,Sena leaders recalled the singers conversation with Thackeray and how the Sena had roped in the singing legend to perform at a fund-raising event. I remember it clearly. He saw the huge photo of Balasaheb addressing a large public gathering at the entrance to the house and exclaimed to Balasaheb,You too? It was a spontaneous reaction that went down very well with everyone, recalls Yashwant Killedar,one of those who had escorted Jackson to the Thackeray residence. Killedar was then a member of the Shiv Udyog Sena (SUS). Jackson had performed at the Andheri Sports Complex in 1996 as part of a fund-raising programme organised by SUS. After the performance,Jackson visited the Thackeray residence and met the leader. The SUS had managed to rope in Jackson for whats known as the first mega-concert in the city. The SUS,formed in 1996,was the brainchild of Thackerays nephew Raj,who subsequently separated from his uncle to float the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. Killedar says,We were touched by Jacksons approach to Balasaheb and his eagerness to interact. Another senior leader who had been involved in organising the concert,Nitin Sardesai,recalls. When a group of girls was performing at the airport to welcome the singer,he joined in and did a few steps himself. He was an artist and a showman. What a fantastic show it was, he says.
