Bal Thackeray influenced entire Maharashtra: Jaitley

Mumbai (Maharashtra), Aug. 19 (ANI): Asserting that late Balasaheb Thackeray was a 'gifted communicator', Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday said he was one of the leaders who had the ability to directly convey his message to the people.

Addressing the gathering in Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's book launch in Mumbai, Jaitley said, "Despite journalists writing against him, Bal Thackeray was a charismatic speaker, class cartoonist, focused and very influential. So influential that eventually he had the entire Maharashtra in his hands."

The statement comes as an olive branch by the saffron party amid Shiv Sena's constant spurt of attacks on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra.

Shiv Sena have frequently targeted Prime Minister Modi over his many policies and reforms including GST and demonetisation.

Recently, criticising Prime Minister Modi's assertion that separatism will be defeated by embracing Kashmiris and not by abuses or bullets, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday said that to implement this idea, Article 370 has to be removed from the Indian Constitution.

Referring to the 'Vande Mataram' row, the Shiv Sena attacked Prime Minister Modi, questioning why the latter does not show the same strictness with people who despite being Indian refused to chant the national song, as shown at the time of enforcing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Demonetisation drive. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI