Bal Thackeray

Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray with full state honours in Mumbai. As part of the state funeral for him Mumbai Police conducted a 21-gun salute.

Mumbai came to a virtual standstill on Sunday as Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, a Hindutva mascot and flagbearer of Marathi pride, was laid to rest and lakhs of mourners joined the Marathi leader's grieving family to bid him a tearful farewell.

Well before his death on Saturday, Shiv Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray had anointed son Uddhav Thackeray as the successor to his political legacy. Last year he went a step further and moved even grandson Aditya to the front-line, silencing any potential claimants to the party mantle.

Mourning the death of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray who passed away on Saturday, the BJP said that his demise was a major loss to Maharashtra, to the NDA and the country

Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that Thackeray's body would be kept for 'darshan' at Shivaji Park ground in central Mumbai on Sunday. He also asked party workers to not gather at 'Matoshree' - Bal Thackeray's residence in Mumbai.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed his condolences over the death of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray and cancelled his dinner on Saturday night with the BJP leaders.

From drawing cartoons with potent messages to etching for himself a larger-than-life image on Maharashtra's political landscape, Bal Thackeray was the mascot of Marathi pride and Hindutva who aroused extreme emotions but could never be ignored.

Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray died on Saturday in Mumbai after prolonged illness. The 86-year-old Thackeray, who founded the Shiv Sena in 1966 to fight for the rights of Maharashtrians, was suffering from lung and pancreatic ailments and had been put on life-support system for the last few days.

Shiv Sena corporators met at Matoshree on Saturday even as Bal Thackeray's health improved and he is reported to be stable. The 76 corporators, who attended the meeting, were told that Thackeray is fine and they should now get back to work.

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, who has been seriously ill for a last few days, is recovering and there is no need to worry, said party mouthpiece 'Saamna' today.

Shiv Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray, who has been taken off life support system, today continued to show signs of improvement with party leaders terming his condition as "stable". Mumbai, which has been on edge ever since Thackeray's condition worsened on Wednesday, slowly got back to business.

Mumbai was crawling back to normal on Friday, a day after a shutdown of sorts as the Shiv Sena announced that its supremo Bal Thackeray was stable and was responding well to medicine and treatment. In some parts of the city, traffic was back on the roads, even as security remained tight.

Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray continues to be in a critical condition, his doctors said even as the Shiv Sena continued to say he was stable.

Several parts of the Maharashtra capital continue to wear a deserted look as Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray remains in critical condition. While the Shiv Sena has claimed that the 86-year-old is responding well to the treatment, doctors have said that he is still on life support.

The Home Ministry has provided additional security forces to Maharashtra to assist local administration in maintaining law and order in the wake of critical health condition of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray.

The otherwise busy film studios in the city wore a deserted look today with no shooting of films or television serials taking place amid concerns over Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's health condition.

Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, whose condition turned critical last night, is showing signs of improvement and has been taken off the life support system, party spokesman Sanjay Raut said today.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has been continuously monitoring law and order situation in the state in view of the deteriorating health of Shiv Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said party chief Bal Thackeray was stable and doing well.

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray continues to be critical in Mumbai. Doctors treating the 86-year-old at his Matoshree residence say he is on life support. A large crowd of Shiv Sainiks gathered outside his house in Bandra late on Wednesday night.