Shiv Sena executive meet on Tuesday: Uddhav Thackeray to be re-elected party president, Aaditya to be elevated

Mumbai: Uddhav Thackeray is set to be re-elected as Shiv Sena president at the party’s national executive meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday. Further, Yuva Sena chief and Uddhav’s elder son Aaditya may be elevated to the role of a Sena leader or a secretarial post. There are no other nominations for the post of party president, and so Uddhav’s confirmation as party president for the next five years is a mere formality. Aaditya is widely viewed as Uddhav’s political heir and he has also led various student agitations at Mumbai University. In Tuesday’s executive meeting, Aaditya is set to be handed more responsibility as a secretary or Sena leader in addition to being Yuva Sena president. Party insiders have said that the time has come for Aaditya to play a bigger role in the organisation. With his promotion, the Shiv Sena will enter its third generation of leadership. [caption id=“attachment_4314131” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Aaditya and Uddhav Thackeray. PTI[/caption] Uddhav (57) became Sena president five years ago (23 January, 2013). Tuesday’s meeting will be held at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium in Worli on the birth anniversary of late Sena supremo Bal Thackeray. Following his re-election, Uddhav is likely to handpick his new team of office-bearers and his core team. On condition of anonymity, a senior Sena leader said that organisational changes will reflect the party’s preparations for next year’s Parliament and Assembly elections. “In 2019, there are major elections, so Aaditya, who is doing very well in the organisational setup (especially the youth setup) will have to play a bigger role. And so, Aaditya may be elevated as one of the leaders of the party,” he added. Thackeray is also expected to pass a political resolution at the gathering. “The Sena shares an uneasy alliance with the BJP in the state as well differences with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies. Uddhav has, on many occasions, been categorical that the Sena will not fight elections in alliance with any party,” he added. Elections will be held for the posts of party president, members of the national executive committee and deputy leaders who will be elected from among the 180 members of the national executive. Along with Thackeray’s re-election, the party will also appoint party functionaries like leaders, deputy leaders, secretaries and other party functionaries name as per Election Commission laws that mandate internal elections in parties every five years. The changes will be effected to accommodate those party cadres and legislators who have not been made ministers or leaders in the party so far. These new faces may get some representation in the party organisation, said a Sena leader. Battle lines have already been drawn by the BJP. At its state executive meeting recently, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asked the BJP cadres to be election-ready. “Public sentiment is against BJP government and there is an increasing sentiment among Shiv Sena cadres that we should withdraw support from this government. This is the right time to withdraw support from the BJP government,” said another Sena leader.