Raj Thackeray

MUMBAI: Former Shiv Sainik Raj Thackeray on Thursday launched his new party, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, at a packed hall in South Mumbai. He did not reveal anything about his party's ideology or structure, saying that he would do so at a public rally at Shivaji Park on March 19.

A puja at home and a visit to the Siddhivinayak temple preceded the party launch at Y.B. Chavan Hall. Mr. Thackeray resigned from his posts as Shiv Sena leader and president of the Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Sena on November 27, and later quit as a party member on December 18. Since then, he said there was much speculation about his future, whether he would go back to the Shiv Sena and effect a compromise or if he was capable of setting up his own party, among other things. He said that once he quit the Sena, the choices he had were to quit politics, form a new party or join another party. "I had said then that I would set up my own party," he said. The new party has a tricolour flag in blue, saffron and green. He is associated with the company that has bought Kohinoor mills unit no 3, and he announced that except for the shops which would come up there, the rest of the jobs would be given to the families of mill workers.

Initially reluctant to answer questions, Mr. Thackeray later obliged the large press contingent. He said that when he started his month-long tour, which ended on February 22, he had no expectations. He undertook the state-wide trip to assess the extent of support he had and the feedback prompted his decision to form the party.

The party would fight the elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation next year but it was too early to talk of alliances.

Whether like his uncle, Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray, he would choose not to contest elections, he said he had not given any thought to the matter. He obeyed Mr. Thackeray senior's diktat not to use his photographs at his meetings and said that he would not retaliate against any criticism of him by his uncle.

Mr. Raj Thackeray has the open support of two Shiv Sainiks — Bala Nandgaonkar, MLA, and Shishir Shinde, a former member of the legislative council. On Thursday morning, only Mr. Shinde was at the press conference.

Mr. Thackeray said he was not inviting anyone to join his party but those who wished to do so were welcome.

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