Newly-elected MLA from Worli Aaditya Thackeray does not want to leave room for complaints from his constituency while he balances party responsibilities. Mr. Thackeray on Friday inaugurated a high-pressure jet for washing footpaths and an organic waste converter in Worli. Former MLAs Sunil Shinde and Sachin Ahir are filling in for him while he is away on tour of drought-affected areas.
Shiv Sena is in talks with the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party to form a government in the State and on Friday, senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut said, “We want a Sena CM for 25 years, why just five? Congress-NCP’s experience in the government will come in handy.” The Sena has repeatedly projected the junior Thackeray for the job.
Meanwhile, Aaditya Thackeray on Friday tweeted about the inauguration of the high-pressure water jet machine and organic waste converter. The jet is supposed to clean footpaths, kerb stones, dividers more efficiently than manual cleaning.
After his election, Mr. Thackeray had met party MLAs and corporators from the Worli-Parel belt to review ongoing work and also met urban planners for interventions based on people’s suggestions. He had met citizens’s associations and advanced locality management groups earlier this month. His campaign states that he wants to “make Worli A+”
But Mr. Thackeray is also juggling responsibilities in the party, touring wet drought-affected villages and accompanying the Sena chief in government formation talks. He visited rural Nashik earlier this month, but recently stayed in the Madh island resort with other party MLAs until they were allowed to leave.
In his absence in the constituency, former MLAs Sunil Shinde, who had stepped aside for the Thackeray scion, and Sachin Ahir, formerly with NCP who joined the Shiv Sena before elections, continue the work. Yuva Sena members too are travelling across the State to help the party. Mr. Shinde has visited chawls, complexes, mill workers’ societies, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority buildings, as well as transit camps. He has been involved in resolving citizens’ issues in the constituency. Mr. Ahir, along with party corporator Kishori Pednekar, have been helming “mission Worli A+”
Asked how Mr. Thackeray is managing party responsibilities along with working for his constituency, Mr. Shinde said, “Development is team work and our network is very strong in the area, and includes our grassroot karyakartas (workers). Even though a government is not in place, we are carrying out the works that can be done through the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation), such as beautification and development of a traffic island.”
Residents appear to be happy with Mr. Thackeray’s involvement so far.
Pimmy Seth of Worli Walkers’ Association said, “I am very happy with the initiative and enthusiasm he is showing. He has held three meetings with us so far, I text him of work that needs to be done and he responds soon. On days that he is not available, his team is equally active. I am looking forward to his tenure.”
