Politicians, businessmen pay tributes to Bal Thackeray on first death anniversary

MUMBAI: A host of high-profile personalities from the world of politics and business today paid homage to late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on his first death anniversary at the Shivaji Park grounds here.

Those who paid tributes to the leader included Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan, veteran BJP leader LK Advani, NCP chief and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who came with his daughter and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, senior NCP minister Praful Patel, state PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal, BJP leader Gopinath Munde and RPI chief Ramdas Athawale.

Leader of Opposition in state Legislative Council Vinod Tawde and senior BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy also paid tributes to the leader on the occasion.

The industrialists who paid visit to the place included Venugopal Dhoot of Videocon and Rahul Bajaj.

Thackeray's son and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, along with his wife Rashmi and sons Aditya and Tejas were present on the occasion.

Hundreds of Shiv Sainiks made a beeline at the venue to pay homage to the Sena patriarch, who was cremated here last year.

Several senior Sena leaders were also present. The Sena cadres enchanted slogans in the memory of their leader.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has designed a landscape garden with a range of flowers near the place where Thackeray was cremated. Cement has not been used in its construction.