Bal Thackeray Critical

Bal Thackeray Health: Rapid Action Force has been deployed outside Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's residence Matoshree. Bal Thackeray continues to be critical. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde visited Bal Thackeray on Thursday morning.

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray continues to be critical in Mumbai. Doctors treating the 86-year-old at his Matoshree residence say he is on life support. A large crowd of Shiv Sainiks gathered outside his house in Bandra late on Wednesday night.

Several legislators and film personalities, including Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek visited Matoshree on Wednesday night to inquire about Thackeray's health. Amitabh Bachchan who spent quite a few hours at Matoshree later tweeted that prayers were needed at this hour. "Balasaheb Thackeray : a fighter all his life, fights his life !! Prayers needed now! When I fought for my life after 'Coolie' accident, he came to visit me in hospital, with a cartoon he had drawn - Yamraj defeated ! Yamraj - God of Death, defeated by me..wish I was as proficient a cartoonist as he, for tonight I would wish to draw that for him (sic)," he tweeted.

Working President of the Shiv Sena and Bal Thackeray's son Uddhav Thackeray appealed for calm in his address to those assembled outside their residence. He said, "Balasaheb has strong will power. We will come out of this problem. Don't trust rumours. Make peace We are hopeful. You should be hopeful as well. Let's pray for Balasaheb."