ON A day Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the chief minister of Maharashtra, party mouthpiece Saamana dropped his name as editor from the newspaper’s print line. Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s name has been retained as the newspaper’s executive editor. Raut has been the Saamana’s executive editor since the early 1990s, working under the editorship of Shiv Sena patriarch Balasaheb Thackeray until his death in November 2012. On the masthead, Balasaheb is named as the founding editor. And until now, Uddhav was named as the editor in the print line. Sena leaders said that Uddhav’s name was dropped as he has now taken over as the CM. “This is our internal matter. He is now the chief minister. Some conventions have to be followed,” Raut told mediapersons when asked why Uddhav’s name was dropped as editor. Saamana carried a special editorial titled ‘Maharashtra Dharma is Comprehensive’ on its front page on Thursday. “Chhatrapati Shivaji’s kingdom came from that Maharashtra Dharma. It was everyone’s kingdom. Uddhav Thackeray’s new rule will adhere to the same Maharashtra Dharma. Those who were asking how this government will come to power should check the essence of Maharashtra Dharma,” remarked the editorial, which was on Thursday tagged as “Sanjay Uvach (Sanjay says)”, indicating that henceforth, editorials would convey Raut’s views and not that of Uddhav. However, there is no clarity whether the name ‘Sanjay Uvach’ will be used everyday. The editorial said that the new government has been formed on the basis of issues concerning the state. “This government has not been formed on the basis of national issues but on Maharashtra’s issues and development agenda. There are no differences between the three parties on the development agenda,” said the editorial, adding that the new government will not misuse investigative agencies for “conspiracies”. The Sena mouthpiece, launched in 1989 by Bal Thackeray, sets the party line for workers. Even as a member of the ruling coalition with the BJP in the state and NDA at the Centre, it was critical of government policies at both places, and took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well. One of the reasons given by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for the strained relations between Sena and BJP was Saamana’s continuous criticism of the BJP top leadership. In May, Sena had distanced itself from the Saamana editorial that demanded burqa ban in India in national interest. Raut had clarified saying that it was neither Sena nor Uddhav’s demand.
