Rashmi Thackeray is new Saamana group editor

MUMBAI: In a surprise development, Rashmi Thackeray, wife of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, has been named as the new Editor of 'Saamana' Group, here on Sunday.

The group, run by Prabodhan Prakashan, includes the flagship dailies 'Saamana' and 'Dopahar Ka Saamana', often referred to as Shiv Sena official publications, founded by the late founder Sena patriarch Balasaheb Thackeray.

An announcement to the effect was made in the newspapers on Sunday by the group publisher Rajendra M. Bhagwat with names of the other Trustees as Subhash R. Desai and Liladhar B. Dake.

When contacted, a party leader said that since she has now been assigned the onerous responsibility, she will take it up earnestly, but declined to elaborate.

However, the family's close confidante Sanjay Raut and Rajya Sabha Member will continue to be the group executive editor and will pen his famed fiery edits and commentaries.

While the multi-edition Marathi 'Saamana' was founded on January 23, 1983 with the late Thackeray as its Editor, the Hindi 'Dopahar Ka Saamana' was launched on February 23, 1993.