"Let's resolve to fulfil Balasaheb's dream": Ajit Pawar on Bal Thackeray's death anniversary

It is Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray's eighth death anniversary on November 17. Various prominent political leaders from across parties paid a homage to the late leader.

NCP president Sharad Pawar, whose party is an alliance partner in the currently Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, along with several state ministers paid homage to their beloved “Thackeray Saheb”.

In addition to this, state NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal, a former Shiv Sena leader, also visited the site to pay homage to Balasaheb Thackeray at Smriti Sthal at Shivaji Park in Dadar, where the Thackeray family gave a tribute to the party’s founder.

Shiv Sena earlier appealed to its workers to ensure physical distancing, in the wake of the COVID-19 situation, while visiting the memorial site, which is otherwise thronged by scores of party men on this day.

Taking it to Twitter, NCP president Sharad Pawar hailed Bal Thackeray as a ‘powerful orator, cartoonist and political commentator’. "Humble tributes to late Balasaheb Thackeray on his death anniversary!" he tweeted.

Ajit Pawar praised Bal Thackeray for fighting all his life for Maharashtra's pride, respect of the Marathi people and justice for the commoners.

शिवसेनाप्रमुख स्व. बाळासाहेब ठाकरे यांचे अमोघ वक्ता, व्यंगचित्रकार व राजकीय भाष्यकार म्हणून कार्यकर्तृत्वही विशेष महत्त्वाचे होते. राजकीय कार्यकर्त्यांनी त्यांच्या विजिगीषु वृत्तीचे प्रकर्षाने स्मरण करणे क्रमप्राप्त आहे.
पुण्यतिथी दिनी स्व. बाळासाहेब ठाकरे यांना विनम्र अभिवादन! pic.twitter.com/AaN448GJC2

— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) November 17, 2020

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said Maharashtra’s all-round growth and incorporating Belgaum, Karwar and Nipani -- areas of Karnataka which have substantial Marathi-speaking population -- were dreams of Bal Thackeray. "Let's resolve to fulfil Balasaheb's dream," he said in his message.

नेतृत्व, कर्तृत्व, वक्तृत्वाच्या बळावर मराठी मनावर कायम अधिराज्य करणारे शिवसेनाप्रमुख स्वर्गीय बाळासाहेब ठाकरे यांना पुण्यतिथीनिमित्त भावपूर्ण आदरांजली!

— Ajit Pawar (@AjitPawarSpeaks) November 17, 2020

Leader of Opposition, former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also paid tribute to Bal Thackeray, terming him as "mentor and Hinduhridaysamrat" (conqueror of Hindu hearts) and hailed him for "having faith in his ideology and being firm on his statements".

विचारांवर श्रध्दा आणि विधानांवर ठाम! : हिंदूहृदयसम्राट शिवसेनाप्रमुख बाळासाहेब ठाकरे ..#HinduHridaySamrat #BalasahebThackeray pic.twitter.com/5yqnq1h0qp

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) November 17, 2020

State PWD Minister and Congress leader Ashok Chavan also paid tributes to the late and iconic leader of Maharashtra Bal Thackeray in a message on social media.

महाराष्ट्राचे दिवंगत नेते बाळासाहेब ठाकरे यांना स्मृतिदिनी भावपूर्ण आदरांजली.#BalasahebThackeray pic.twitter.com/kVduDPWHQG

— Ashok Chavan (@AshokChavanINC) November 17, 2020