Aggressive Aaditya Thackeray leads counter-charge against rebels

As the Shiv Sena faces perhaps its worst crisis since its inception with a rebellion by majority of legislators Maharashtra minister and the partys youth wing leader Aaditya Thackeray is spearheading a counterattackThe tone and tenor of the Thackeray family scion usually known as the Senas new suave face has changed in the last few daysWhen Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray appealed to rebel legislators who are camping in Guwahati to return their leader Eknath Shinde said while the Sena chief was seeking reconciliation his son Aaditya had labelled them as ldquodirt from a nullah With as many as 39 Sena MLAs deserting the Thackerays 32yearold Aaditya has addressed party workers at multiple places from Karjat in neighbouring Raigad district to Sena strongholds of Byculla Kalina and Dadar in MumbaiThe Yuva Sena led by Aaditya has also been at the forefront of protests against the rebel MLAsAlso read Maha political crisis LIVE SC hears plea against floor test Maha cabinet meeting endsOn the night when the Thackerays left Varsha the official residence of the chief minister and moved back to their personal residence Matoshree they received a grand farewell all through the route To pacify swelling crowds Aaditya again emerged out of Matoshree and waved at party supporters while showing his fistIn his speeches he has been calling the rebel MLAs ldquotraitorsrdquoDirt has gone from the party Now we can do something good he said on MondayldquoWhen allegations of the rebels target his father he is bound to spearhead the attack against the rebels and he is doing itrdquo Shiv Sena MLC Manisha Kayande told PTISena MLA Ravindra Waikar known to be close to the Thackerays and who is still by their side said there was anger against the rebels and Aaditya has been meeting party workers and rallying supportSanjay Patil a researcher with the Department of Civics and Politics in Mumbai said Aaditya has been in a way leading the party for the last few months as Uddhav Thackeray is plagued by health issuesThe chief minister underwent a spine surgery last November and operated from home for several weeksAaditya also plays a key role in decisionmaking within the party Patil saidIn 2019 Aaditya became only the second person from the Thackeray family to contest polls His aunt Shalini had contested an election on the ticket of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led by his estranged uncle Raj ThackerayAfter the Sena formed an unlikely alliance with Congress and NCP in 2019 after ditching the BJP Aaditya Thackeray a firsttime MLA was made minister in his fathers cabinet and given charge of the Tourism Environment and Protocol departmentsldquoThe recent aggression must be stemming from the doordie situation the party is facing now and also it comes at a time when attempts are being made to erase the identity of the party by people who have been close to his familyrdquo Patil saidSince he became a minister Aaditya has also faced criticism for moving around in Mumbais elite circles rather connecting with the Senas mass baseLast month BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis called him a Mercedes baby who can not appreciate the struggle of the Karsevaks who took part in the agitation for Ram temple in AyodhyaThackeray had reportedly ridiculed Fadnavis over the latters claim that he was present when the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992These Mercedes babies born with golden spoon in the mouth never had to do any struggle nor did they see any struggle Fadnavis had hit back