Shiv Sena's Aaditya may be first Thackeray to contest elections

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Aaditya Thackeray could become the first member of Shiv Sena's founding family -- the Thackerays -- to contest an election.

Aaditya, son of Shiv Sena boss Uddhav Thackeray and grandson of the party's founder Bal Thackeray, hinted on August 27 at the possibility of making his electoral debut this year in the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Assembly polls slated for October.

"I have great faith in the legislature and if the party decides to field me in the elections, I will not hesitate. It is for the people to decide which responsibility they want to give and from where to contest," the Shiv Sena youth leader told reporters in Nagpur during his Jan Ashirwad Yatra.

The Sena youth leader said that he wanted to raise the issues and grievances of the common man in the legislature to find solutions.

On the possibility of pre-poll alliance with the Sena's coalition partner BJP, Thackeray said his father Uddhav Thackeray and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis could answer. "No one in Sena talks about alliance, not even ministers," he said.

The junior Thackeray was critical of BJP-led government saying the farmers' suicides have remained unabated, the economic recession has badly hit the business and trading and the unemployment of youths was posing a great problem.

The Sena has been ratcheting up pressure on the BJP ahead of the Assembly elections.

He called on Maharashtra government to assure jobless youths of employment opportunities at a time when many people are losing jobs due to economic recession.

Aaditya reiterated that the Shiv Sena was always committed to the well-being of farmers and compelled the Maharashtra government to waive off crop loans and introduce crop insurance scheme. This has resulted in benefitting about 10 lakh farmers, he said.

Aaditya said his Jan Ashirwad Yatra was aimed at seeking blessings of the people. The Sena was engaging youth, women and farmers in the direct communication. Their educational problems, health issues would be addressed through the yatra, he said.