Aaditya Thackeray To Be Face Of Sena’s Campaign For BMC Polls

Thackeray scion Aaditya Thackeray is on move. Aaditya, who is the Tourism and Environment Minister and also the Mumbai Suburban District Guardian Minister, has increased his visibility by attending social, religious, party and government functions. But the focus is on launching a number of infrastructure projects including Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s Mumbai Coastal Road Project, Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, sewage disposal projects and Mumbai Metro projects ahead of the ensuing BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Shiv Sena, which is leading the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, has expressed its resolve to retain power in India’s richest civic body, BMC, despite its estranged ally BJP’s Mission 2022. Although Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who is also Shiv Sena President, will play a lead role in poll management and campaigning, Aaditya will be party’s face to sell party’s pro-development agenda in addition to Marathi Manoos plank. Aaditya has already hired a public relations agency to take position across print, electronic and social media. A well-educated, progressive and friends of almost every community, it is Shiv Sena’s attempt to lure non-Marathi and Muslim votes by projecting Aaditya as its face. It is a paradigm shift for a party which in the past was accused of running campaign against various communities. Will the voter fall for Sena’s bait? Only time will tell.