3rd language row: Sharad Pawar to skip Thackeray cousin's Worli ‘victory rally'; Uddhav and Raj appear on posters as 'hosts'
Sharad Pawar
for their joint "victory rally" on Saturday, Pawar has said that he will not participate in the rally due to his previously scheduled programmes.
State NCP (SP) president Jayant Patil will be present instead.
State Congress chief Harshawardhan Sakpal is also likely to be on the dais at the Thackeray cousins' rally at the NSCI Dome in Worli on Saturday.
Apart from Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray, two other cousins, Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray and MNS's Amit Thackeray too will be seen together at the rally, which has been called by the Thackerays to "celebrate" the state's cancellation of its govt resolutions on introducing Hindi as a third language from Class 1 in state schools.
Sena (UBT) functionaries said that only heads of parties will be allowed on the dais and will speak on the occasion. Sena (UBT) functionaries said that they are expecting close to 10,000 people and added that crowds will overflow outside the venue. A detailed rehearsal of the programme will be held on Friday.
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Sharad Pawar said on Thursday, "I will not participate in the victory rally of Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray.
My plans and programmes have been scheduled for that day already."
Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab and MNS functionary Bala Nandgaonkar took stock of preparations and said netas from all parties have been invited for the "non-political" rally. The MNS on Tuesday released a poster with names of both Uddhav and Raj as "hosts." This was the first time the MNS named Uddhav on its poster.
MNS and Sena (UBT) functionaries said that backroom talks are taking place between the MNS and Sena (UBT) for Saturday's event and for a possible alliance for the BMC polls too.
"We carried out a joint inspection. The event is being hosted by Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray. There will be a sea of people. Sentiments are important. It is monsoon time, or else we would have organised this event in an open ground. The govt scrapped the GR (on Hindi language) because of the fear of Marathi unity. We will lay out the exact programme soon. This will be an event of the Marathi manoos and not of any party," Parab said.
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