Bal Keshav Thackeray also known as Balasaheb Thackeray is the founder and chief of the Shiv Sena. Thackeray was born to Prabodhankar Thakaeray in a Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu family and is a Hindu nationalist.     Thackeray has claimed that the party has benefited the Marathi People in Mumbai, especially in the public sector. The opposing left wing alleges the Sena has done little to solve the problem of unemployment facing a large proportion of Maharashtrian youth during its tenure, in contradiction to its ideological foundation of ’sons of the soil. In addition, Thackeray played a key role in the enfranchisement of half a million slum dwellers in the Dharavi area of Mumbai.

In addition, he led the Sena to an active role in trying to improve infrastructure in Maharashtra, particularly Mumbai. Nearly 42 flyovers in Mumbai and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway were constructed under the Shiv Sena controlled administration, which led to a significant infrastructural boom in Mumbai. While successive State governments have been blameworthy of neglecting Mumbai’s transport problems, the erstwhile Shiv Sena-BJP government drastically changed the course.

In addition to improvements in transport infrastructure, Thackeray has supported initiatives against proprietary technologies such as the “Conditional Access System” for television networks (which would have led to cable companies charging more for channels).

Thackeray’s views have typically been highly anti-Muslim, usually attacking them and occasionally sympathizing with them. He has declared that he is “not against every Muslim, but only those who reside in this country but do not obey the laws of the land. His party is viewed as being anti-Muslim .

Bal Thackeray issued an editorial titled Ek Bihari, Sau Bimari (One Bihari, Hundred illnesses) in Saamna, Shiv Sena’s political mouthpiece, saying Biharis were “an unwanted lot” in the country on March 2008 .

Interview with Bal Thackray Part  1

Interview with Bal Thackray Part  2

Interview with Bal Thackray Part  3