Bal Thackeray: The Fighter!

Bal Thackeray's nephew and MNS Leader Raj Thackeray arrives at Matoshree.

Shortly after Uddhav's assurance, many of the 5,000 plus party activists who had crowded around 'Matoshri' slowly started dispersing.

Over 5,000 anxious Shiv Sainiks from Mumbai, Thane and other parts of the state trooped to Bandra east outside 'Matoshree' awaiting a word on their beloved leader's health.

Many Shiv Sainiks slept whole night outside Matoshree, hoping to get a positive news of their leader.

Bal Thackeray, once worked as a cartoonist in the Free Press Journal'. He also contributed to Marathi publications, including Navyug, under the pseudonym Mavla.

Bal Keshav Thackeray is known as a fiery right wing leader of Maharashtra. Thackeray formed Shiv Sena' that espoused the cause of Maratha interest and Marathi language.

After a long struggle, Thackeray's Shiv Sena, in alliance with BJP, succeeded in snatching power from Congress in 1995. The Shiv Sena BJP government ruled Maharashtra from 1995 99.

Bal thackeray's nephew Raj Thackeray used to be his lieutenant not very long ago but he parted ways with Bal Thackeray when the senior Thackeray decided to appoint his son Uddhav as the second in command of Shiv Sena.

Thackeray family has played an important in Maharashtra Politics right from the days of separate statehood movement. For last few days, Bal Thackeray's health has deteriorated and he was on oxygen support till the last report came in.