MUMBAI, 24 October 2007 — The 80-year-old Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray was at his usual best at a Sena rally here recently.

“In my youth days, I used to stand up and speak, now I’m old and tired, but even though my body has aged, my thoughts and thinking are not tired, would never be tired, as far as you provide the tonic, and because of your support, I am here to address this rally,” said Thackeray.

Addressing a huge congregation of Sena activists, Thackeray during his 50 minutes long speech jumped from one subject to another, ridiculing politicians, his favorite target and tried hard to extract a promise from the Sena activists that they would return the Sena back to power in the next assembly elections. “If you like to live a life of honor and dignity, then you have a mission to defeat and bury the Congress party and the National Congress Party (NCP) forever in the next polls,” the Sena chief said.

Thackeray attacked the NCP president and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, and called him a failed minister. He ridiculed Pawar and referred to his latest promise of providing free electricity to farmers as a mere political gimmick.

Coming down heavily on state Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh of Congress, Thackeray asked as to when would Deshmukh start taking his job seriously? In the same breath, Thackeray advised Deshmukh to do some introspection and assess his progress report.

He cracked jokes on state Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil of the NCP and said, ‘Patil was good for nothing.” Patil, Thackeray said was “useless” and was more worried and interested in closing down dance bar businesses. “He is good at raising slogans but fails to implement even one of them,” he said.

As his usual practice at every speech, Thackeray took pot shots at Congress President Sonia Gandhi and alleged that Sonia was promoting Christians to the top posts. “The Moguls ruled India for 1,500 years. The British ruled for 150 years. Yet, we bank on imported leadership. How long are we going to remain mute spectators and tolerate the foreign rule in India,” he asked.

Thackeray did not miss the opportunity of even sparing Sonia’s daughter Priyanka Gandhi. The Sena supremo said that Sonia got her daughter married to a Christian boy Robert Vadera. Another Christian leader Oscar Fernandes was calling shots in New Delhi, Thackeray said and cautioned the Sena cadres against the growing dangers to the country from Christianity.

Turning to the local political developments, Thackeray adopted a soft corner for NCP leader and State Public Works Department Minister Chaggan Bhujbal. “Bhujbal loves me. His affection for me has grown immensely lately and I do not wish to hurt him. I would rather prefer to remain silent than speak anything that would hurt him.” Thackeray gave indications that he would have no objection if Bhujbal come back to the Sena fold.

But the firebrand leader blasted his once blue-eyed boy Narayan Rane, who defected to the Congress and is presently the revenue minister, for betraying the Sena.