Amid rift with Shiv Sena, PM Modi pays tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray on 93rd birth anniversary

Paying tributes to Bal Thackeray on his 93^rd birth anniversary on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the Shiv Sena founder as a bold person with an unwavering commitment towards protecting rights of the people. Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the prime minister wrote, "Remembering the courageous Balasaheb Thackeray on his Jayanti".

"Respected Balasaheb was unwavering in his commitment towards protecting the rights and wellbeing of people. He was bold and was blessed with a sharp intellect and wit. His oratory skills mesmerised lakhs of people," Modi added.

Remembering the courageous Balasaheb Thackeray on his Jayanti. Respected Balasaheb was unwavering in his commitment towards protecting the rights and wellbeing of people. He was bold and was blessed with a sharp intellect and wit. His oratory skills mesmerised lakhs of people.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 23, 2019

The Shiv Sena, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre and in Maharashtra, has been at loggerheads with its senior NDA partner and critical of various policies of the governments.

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However, owing to Thackeray’s birth anniversary, the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra Cabinet has decided to construct a memorial worth Rs 100 crore at Mumbai’s Dadar, where the last rites of the Shiv Sena founder were performed. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting on January 22.

In a show of camaraderie by bickering allies, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday took part in rituals marking the start of construction of a memorial for Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray.

At the memorial site, located at Shivaji Park at Dadar in central Mumbai, Fadnavis and Thackeray jointly conducted the 'Ganesh pujan' (offering prayers to Lord Ganesh) and 'vastu pujan'. The two were seen shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries at the event.