UBT’s ‘AI creation’: Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's speech attacking BJP, Eknath Shinde

NASHIK: The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday used artificial intelligence (AI) to recreate a voice resembling that of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, in an effort to shore up the party's prospects after the assembly polls debacle. The voice criticizes the BJP and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde.
The nearly 13-minute speech, with a booming voice resembling that of Bal Thackeray, began with his trademark opening line "Jamlelya majhya tamam Hindu bandhavanu, bhaginino ani matano (Greetings to my Hindu brothers, sisters and mothers who have gathered here)."
It was relayed at the Sena (UBT) gathering in Nashik on Wednesday. According to the Sena (UBT), the speech tried to recreate what Bal Thackeray would have said had he been alive. The AI-created speech primarily attacked BJP and the Shiv Sena under Shinde. It sounded more like Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's attacks on the BJP and Shinde's party during the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls. It also tried to capture the mannerisms and tone of Bal Thackeray, who was a powerful orator.
This is the first time the Sena founder's speech was used by his son's party to train guns on its opponents. The party could use this strategy in future rallies as Uddhav Thackeray faces the most challenging phase of his political career so far. The Sena (UBT) is also gearing up for the BMC elections, which might be held this year.
The AI move comes when the Sena (UBT) is being mocked by its opponents with old videos of Bal Thackeray castigating the Congress.
At the divisional convention in Nashik, Uddhav said he had left BJP, but not Hindutva. "I will not abandon Hindutva even if I die," he said. He said BJP would not have been able to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya without support of the undivided Shiv Sena.
He appealed to BJP to declare the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj a national holiday, if the party really respected the warrior king. He also took on BJP over what he called its "double standards" and said, "BJP parted ways with AIADMK about two years back, but recently forged an alliance with the party in Tamil Nadu. And the same party (AIADMK) opposed the Waqf Bill."
On his party's dismal performance in last year's state assembly elections, Thackeray said that the situation was in favour of the party. "I am not ready to accept this defeat. The party will win more seats if polls are held today using ballot paper," he said, casting aspersions over the use of EVMs.