Bal Thackeray's memorial to be completed by 2023-end: Uddhav

MUMBAI: The construction of the memorial of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray in the city will be completed by the end of 2023, his son and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said on Saturday.

The memorial is coming up at the Mayor's bungalow at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai.

As much as 58 per cent of the work is complete, Uddhav Thackeray told reporters here.

''The first phase will be completed by May and the whole project will be completed by 2023-end,'' he added. The Sena's history and Bal Thackeray's speeches will the highlights of the memorial, he said.

In a swipe at rebel Sena leader and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray also said that the memorial ''will feature only Shiv Sena chief ministers and not the fake ones.'' Shinde toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena-NCP-Congress government in June this year by revolting against the party leadership along with 39 other MLAs.

''Who knows, by the time the project is complete there might be a photo of the Shiv Sena's prime minister at the memorial,'' Thackeray quipped.

Senior party leader Subhash Desai said the memorial is the state government's project and is getting necessary funds from the government.