President inquires about Thackeray’s health

Mumbai: President Pranab Mukherjee called up ailing Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and inquiries about his health, the Sena’s official mouth-piece Saamna reported here on Sunday.

“The President telephoned Thackeray’s residence Matoshri on Saturday and inquired about the ailing Sena chief’s health. He made the inquiries in the context of Thackeray’s indisposition that came in the way of the latter’s (Sena chief’s) failure to make it to the Shivaji Park to address the annual Dussehra rally on Wednesday last,” the newspaper reported.

It may be recalled that following Thackeray’s inability to make it to the Shivaji Park for the October 24 Dussehra rally, the Sena had played a video recording of its president’s speech at the rally.

The President’s concern over Thackeray’s indisposition should be seen in the light of the fact that the Shiv Sena — despite being a constituent of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) — had extended its support to the ruling UPA nominee Mukherjee, in the Presidential poll held in July this year.

Ahead of the Presidential poll, Mukherjee—accompanied by senior federal minister Sharad Pawar -- had called on the Sena chief at his residence on July 13 to thank him for the announcement about the Sena’s support in the presidential poll.

Eight-six-year-old Thackeray has not been keeping well for quite some time. He been admitted to the Lilavati Hospital for nine days in July this year, after he complained of breathlessness.

So has been his precarious state of health that Thackeray himself admitted – in his recorded address played out to the party workers at the dussehra rally – that through he was extremely keen to come to the rally venue, he had to drop the plans as he was indisposed.

“I am too tired.. I face breathlessness when I speak for a long time. I cannot walk.. That’s the reason I have not been able to make it to the rally. This is despite my keenness to come to the Shivaji Park and address all of you directly,” Thackeray had said in his recorded address.