Leave my beard alone: Thackeray

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, whose white beard has become a topic of discussion, today appealed to mediapersons to allow him to lead his p...

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, whose white beard has become a topic of discussion, today appealed to mediapersons to allow him to lead his private life. ‘‘Can’t I have my private life or do not enjoy the individual freedom,’’ he asked. The Sena chief quipped that his beard has even become a subject for the editorial of newspapers.

Thackeray today also intervened once more to put a lid on a tussle between son Uddhav and nephew Raj. At a hurriedly called press conference, he sought to underplay Raj’s statement that he had ‘‘ambitions of becoming the Chief Minister’’.

‘‘He is a cartoonist and has a quirky sense of humour. What is wrong if Raj nurtures a desire to be Chief Minister. If someone asked me, if I wanted to be Prime Minister, I will say yes. I know I will not be the Prime Minister but what is the harm in having the desire,’’ Thackeray asked.

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The Sena chief then went on to emphasize that the choice of chief ministerial candidate lay with him. ‘‘It will be my decision and I have not decided. The decision will be taken after we win the polls. Besides, there is no such thing as the Thackeray parivar taking a unilateral decision to occupy the Chief Minister’s chair. It has to be the decision of the people,’’ he said.

Thackeray, who appeared to be unwell, faced the media at his residence, Matoshree. He repeatedly stressed that neither his son, nor his nephew would enter electoral politics. ‘‘Both have already said that if their relationship suffers because of politics, they will quit politics.’’

Asked if former CMs Manohar Joshi and Narayan Rane too were contenders, the Sena chief parried the question. ‘‘I will nominate six chief ministers and six deputy chief ministers. All the elected representatives can be ministers. After all this is a democracy,’’ he said.