Mumbai, January 12: Shiv Sena activists are gearing up to celebrate Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s 84th birthday on January 23 by organising various programmes across the state of Maharashtra.
Assembly Elections 2009″Balasaheb’s birthday would be celebrated this year in Mumbai’s Shanmukhananda Hall with fanfare. Activists would organise social gatherings across the state,” Sena secretary Anil Desai said.
Thackeray had a quiet birthday last year due to Mumbai terror attacks, and also owing to his deteriorating health.
However, after the party’s defeat in Lok Sabha and assembly polls last year, the Sena chief has become active in party functioning, and has been meeting leaders and activists regularly.
At a meeting held here yesterday, Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray reviewed district-wise situations, and asked senior leaders to go to every district and encourage participation in the membership drive, which began on January 6, birth anniversary of Meenatai Thackeray, wife of Bal Thackeray.
The drive will end on January 23.
“This time, we would have the highest membership crossing 50 lakh across the state. Every house would have at least one Sena member,” Desai said.
—Agencies