A few days after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray was released on bail on October 22, one of the first things he did, apart from breaking into celebrations, was to ask a TV monitoring agency for footage of comparisons between him and his uncle, Shiv Sena boss Bal Thackeray.

Raj is influenced by Thackeray

Politicians, political analysts and the public have often compared Raj with his uncle their agenda, their style of functioning, the content of their speech, interest in cartooning which Raj unabashedly relishes.
 
Says journalist and political observer Nikhil Wagle, "Raj has cloned himself on his uncle and hopes for a political future based on the same agenda and style. He openly admits that he apes his uncle, but only time will tell whether he succeeds politically."

So his party men have requested Esha News, a city-based TV monitoring agency a CD of a show telecast by Star News on October 23, a day after he was given bail. The agency dumps video footage from several TV channels aired in India, which is then sold to interested parties.

MNS vice president Nitin Sardesai, says, 'Bal Thackeray's style comes naturally to Raj, since he is Balasaheb's relative and is obviously influenced by him. Raj also draws good caricatures like Balasaheb. But the fact is you can't be good at what you do by just copying; it should be innate." We tried calling Raj, but he did not take our call.

The TV feature begins with an audio of Amitabh Bachchan in the film Sarkar, declaring, Mujhe jo sahi lagta hain, main karta hoon. Phir woh chahe bhagwan ke khilaf ho, samaj ke khilaf ho, kanoon ke khilaf ho'... something both the Thackerays have been known to have attempted.

In the same capsule Star News also says

>>The similarities are so glaring, you only have to add or subtract 42 years or so from their respective ages and you would get the same man. Raj is 42 now and Bal Thackeray is 82.

>>Besides, being his uncle, Bal Thackeray has another relationship with Raj. His father, the late Shrikant Thackeray and Bal Thackeray are brothers. His mother and Bal Thackeray's late wife Meenatai are sisters. So, Raj is both, chachere as well as mausere bhai to Uddhav.

>>Both Raj and Bal Thackeray display extreme confidence, while answering the media, locking their gaze with the person interviewing them.