Shivaji Park Hoardings Show Maharashtra’s New Political Equation

Ahead of Uddhav Thackeray’s swearing-in ceremony, a number of jubilant hoardings have come up around Shivaji Park.

Ahead of Uddhav Thackeray’s swearing-in ceremony, a number of hoardings have been put up across Mumbai. 

(Photo: Meghnad Bose/The Quint)

Prior to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, 28 November, hoardings went up around Shivaji Park in Mumbai congratulating the Shiv Sena, the Thackeray family and the Maha Vikas Aghadi for succeeding in forming the state government.

These posters tell their own story about the new political alliance and the power equation forged in the state.

“New Maharashtra, New Government,” reads a Congress hoarding, congratulating the Maha Vikas Aghadi. As can be seen, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s photo has been focused on more than that of the others. 

The swearing-in ceremony took place at Mumbai’s iconic Shivaji Park, which is considered to be the birthplace of the Shiv Sena as it is where party founder Bal Thackeray addressed his first public rally in 1966. Bal Thackeray was cremated in a corner of the park as well, in 2012, which Shiv Sainiks refer to as ‘Shivteerth’.

A Shiv Sena poster showing three generations of the Thackeray family – from party founder Bal Thackeray to first Thackeray CM Uddhav, to Aaditya, who was the first Thackeray to contest polls this year. The poster also shows Rashmi, Uddhav’s wife, who has played a key role in his rise to power, as well as in planning out Aaditya’s election campaign.

Shiv Sena had invited Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and DMK chief MK Stalin for the ceremony.

Both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi said that they would not be able to attend the ceremony. Uddhav had also called and invited PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday; however, the PM was not present at the ceremony.

The ceremony was also supposed to be attended by about 400 farmers from various districts.

A Shiv Sena poster which reads, “Balasaheb Thackeray’s dream fulfilled, Chief Minister from Shiv Sena.” Carrying the phrase ‘Satyameva Jayate’, the poster once again shows three generations of the Thackeray family. The hoarding, spotted outside Shivaji Park, also has a throwback picture of Balasaheb Thackeray with Indira Gandhi.

Shiv Sena leaders Eknath Shinde and Subhash Desai, NCP’s Jayant Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal, and Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Nitin Raut also took oath as ministers at the ceremony on Thursday evening, officially kicking off the term of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance in the state as the 'Maha Vikas Aghadi.'