Aditya Thackeray says will fight from Worli

Mumbai: In a much-anticipated move, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray on Monday announced his decision to contest the upcoming Vidhan Sabha polls from the Sena bastion of Worli. Aaditya will be the first person from the Thackeray family to enter electoral politics.

Defending his decision to enter electoral politics, he said, “I can only do politics, nothing else. Politics is necessary if anything good needs to be done in the society. It is one medium through which your decision can improve the future of lakhs of people.”

Calling it a historic moment for himself and his family, he claimed that he has not taken the decision for himself, but to fulfil the dreams of people.

Aaditya’s seat — Worli — is considered to be one of the safest seats for the Sena. Its sitting MLA, Sunil Shinde, had defeated former NCP leader Sachin Ahir in 2014 polls. With Mr Ahir now in the Sena, Aaditya’s win looks all but a formality.

After the Lok Sabha polls, the Sena has been making systematic efforts to project the junior Thackeray as its face. As part of its efforts, it had also organised the Jan Ashirwad Yatra, headed by Aaditya, which aimed at reaching out to the youth.

Aaditya is the first member of the Thackeray family to contest elections. Late Sena supremo Bal Thackeray and current chief Uddhav have remained away from polls.

Sena fielded encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma from Nalasopara seat for the upcoming Vidhan Sabha polls.

Meanwhile, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Gopichand Padalkar joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday. Mr Padalkar, who lost the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year from Sangli on VBA’s ticket, is likely to take on senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former state deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar from Baramati constituency.

Along with Mr Padalkar, Congress MLA from Shirpur, Kashiram Pawara, also joined the saffron party.

While inducting Mr Padalkar into the BJP, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “He (Padalkar) is like a

tiger, who should challenge a major established leader. If he is ready, I will try to field him from Baramati”.