A MONTH after stepping down as the chief minister of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday again took over the editorship of party’s mouthpiece Saamana.
In the print line of the Marathi daily, Uddhav’s name was published as an editor and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut as an executive editor on Friday. Raut has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate for his alleged involvement in the Patra Chawl scam case.
Saamana, which is also published in Hindi with the name Dopahar Ka Saamana, was launched by late party founder Bal Thackeray in 1989. He was an editor of the paper till his demise in 2012.
After Bal Thackeray, Uddhav had become the editor of the paper. After becoming chief minister in 2019, Uddhav had stepped down as the editor of the paper. His wife Rashmi had become the editor in March 2020.
The move comes amid the crisis that the party is facing following the rebellion by the Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, leading to the collapse of the Uddhav-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
A source said, “Earlier, he (Uddhav) had left the position (as Saamana editor) after becoming the CM, as it may have created a conflict of interest because he was holding a constitutional position. Now, since he is not holding any constitutional position, he has taken over as an editor of the paper again.”
A Shiv Sena functionary said, “Thackeray, who is already interacting with party’s office-bearers and Sena leaders on a regular basis, will now also look after the editorials of the party.”