New Delhi, Nov 17 (IANS) Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, on Sunday, expressed his thoughts on the occasion of 12th death anniversary of Balasaheb Thackeray, the patriarch of right-wing pro-Marathi and Hindu nationalist party Shiv Sena.

Taking to X, the parliamentarian from Raebareli posted: “Remembering Balasaheb Thackeray ji on his 12th death anniversary. My thoughts are with Uddhav Thackeray ji, Aditya and the entire Shiv Sena family.”

Bal Keshav Thackeray, popularly known as Balasaheb Thackeray, was a cartoonist and a politician who founded the original Shiv Sena.

In his early professional days, Thackeray was a cartoonist for the Bombay-based English daily The Free Press Journal, quitting in 1960 to establish his own political weekly ‘Marmik’.

His political outlook was largely influenced by his father Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, a leading figure in the Samyukta Maharashtra (United Maharashtra) movement, which advocated the creation of a separate linguistic state for Marathi speakers.

Bal Thackeray campaigned against the growing influence of non-Marathis in Mumbai through Marmik.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Thackeray built Shiv Sena. He also founded the Marathi-language newspaper ‘Saamana’.

After the riots in the early 90s, Thackeray and his party took a Hindutva stance. In 1999, he was banned from voting and contesting in any election for six years for indulging in seeking votes in the name of religion.

Thackeray did not hold any official positions as he was never formally elected as the leader of his party.

His son, Uddhav Bal Thackeray served as the 19th Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 2019 to 2022. He took over the leadership of Shiv Sena as well as of Saamana as its Editor-in-Chief from 2006 to 2019.

A member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Uddhav Thackeray is the president of both Maha Vikas Aghadi and Shiv Sena (UBT).

Aaditya Uddhav Thackeray, son of Uddhav Thackeray and grandson of Balasaheb Thackeray, is President of Yuva Sena, a youth wing of Shiv Sena.

An MLA from Worli, Mumbai, Aaditya Thackeray has served as a Cabinet Minister of Higher Education and Cabinet Minister of Tourism and Environment for the Government of Maharashtra.