Last ditch effort to end Thackeray feud

No politics behind it, just the best interests of Marathi Manoos, says the effort's organiser

A group of prominent Maharashtrians proposing to extend the olive branch and bring an end to the differences between the Thackeray cousins are trying one last time.

The group, under the banner of Majhi Chalwal Me Maharashtra ('My movement, I belong to Maharashtra'), plans to exert pressure in a last ditch effort to end the cold war between Shiv Sena's Executive President Uddhav Thackeray, and MNS President Raj Thackeray, both considered to be arch-rivals by many.

Satish Walanju, a Shiv Sainik who launched the initiative, said, "We are not giving up. People make leaders and leaders should accept the wishes of the people.

When we began the programme on May 16, 2010, we clearly mentioned that it would be for seven to eight months.

"We are now concluding a last meeting on January 23, 2011, before we announce the end of the programme.
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This effort will focus on informing people that we do not have any political ambitions and all we want to do is create awareness about the need for unity among the Thackerays in the best interests of the Marathi Manoos."

According to the agenda for the meeting, to be held near Veer Sawarkar Smarak on January 23, the members propose to reach out to the public and present an analysis of the responses of both leaders and about what has happened over the past eight months.

Launched after Sena's poor performance in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, Walanju's inititaive includes various other membersu00a0 who have contributed to his efforts at unititng the Thackerays.
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They include people like Shashi Sawant, Yogendra Chemburkar, Pritam Mantri, Arvind Pawaskar, Deepak Bhosale and Prakash Kanade.