Politicians pay tribute to Bal Thackeray on his seventh death anniversary

Politicians paid tribute to Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on his seventh death anniversary.

Maharashtra caretaker chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar were among many who paid tribute to Thackeray.

"Salutations to our inspirational source, Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray on his death anniversary," Fadnavis tweeted in Marathi.

"Bal Thackeray was a Marathi Manoo who raised the voice for Marathis pride and their self-esteem. He did politics with a social cause. He was a unique orator who got unending affection of his followers. We bow down to him on his death anniversary," Pawar tweeted in Marathi.

NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Jayant Patil paid their obeisances to Bal Thackeray at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.

Born on January 23, 1926, in Pune, Thackeray had begun his professional career as a cartoonist with the English-language daily 'The Free Press Journal'.

He later quit his professional job and founded the Shiv Sena in 1966 to advocate for the interests of the people of Maharashtra in Mumbai's political and professional landscape.

Thackeray was also the founder of the Marathi-language newspaper 'Saamana'. He did not hold any official positions during his political career.

Thackeray breathed his last on November 17, 2012, after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 86.

Current Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray, alongside NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Jayant Patil will pay obeisance to the late supremo at Shivaji Park in Mumbai later in the day.