Maharashtra assembly polls: Aaditya Thackeray files nomination after Shiv Sena’s show of strength

Aaditya Thackeray, the Shiv Sena’s candidate for Worli constituency, takes out a roadshow in the city on Thursday. Prashant Nadkar

His total immovable assets are pegged at Rs 4.67 crore, including five land parcels valued at Rs 77.66 lakh, which were gifted to him by his father. He is also the owner of two commercial shop spaces in Kalyan and another in Thane, which were gifted to him by his mother. He does not own a house.

Aaditya, who had paid taxes of around Rs 26 lakh individually in 2018-19 and Rs 24.64 lakh as part of the Hindu Undivided Family, has no loans against his name.

During his filing of nominations, the Shiv Sena put up a massive show of strength with the entire top brass of the party accompanying Aaditya to the nomination centre.

“I am thrilled and excited to see this support for me. For me, the common man is the CM of the state. I am also a common man and wish to work without expecting any position. People wishing me to be the CM is just their love for me. I called CM in the morning. He wished me luck and gave his support. He was never supposed to attend this (nomination filing) event. He sent his people to show his support,” Aaditya said while talking to the media.

When asked about his uncle and MNS chief Raj Thackeray not fielding a candidate against him, Aaditya said: “Many people have supported me. I thank all of them. I wish to fulfil all these expectations.”

The Sena took out a rally from Lower Parel till Worli. The rally was attended by top leaders of the party along with a large number of supporters. The rally also had dhol players and Lezim dancers, who put up a spectacle. The rally, which began at 9 am, also disrupted traffic during the office hours.

Around 12 pm, Aaditya reached the BMC office at Worli to file his nominations along with his father and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, mother Rashmi and brother Tejas.

“We are happy and excited that Aadityaji has chosen Worli to contest. We want to see him as the chief minister. Maharashtra will see a new era of development,” said Santosh Jadhav, a party worker from Gandhi Nagar, Worli.

Meanwhile, with the large crowd gathered for the rally, many Shiv Sainiks complaint about losing their cell phones and other valuables. One such was Sena corporator and senior leader Ashish Chemburkar, who said someone in the crowd picked his pocket and stole valuables worth around Rs 40,000. According to the local party workers, about 13 women lost their golden chains and more than 10 people complaint about cell phone theft.

Senior Police Inspector Pandit Thakre of N M Joshi police station said, “We have so far registered just one case of theft after a party worker, identified as Dhumal, came to the police station and alleged that he lost his mobile phone and a gold chain during the procession.”

“There was a large crowd and we all were busy in the roadshow. We came dancing all the way to the nomination centre from the Lower Parel. We realised about our pockets being picked only at Worli,” said Abhijeet Jadhav, a Sena follower from Worli.

With inputs from Sagar Rajput