Mumbai, April 21 (IANS): Shiv Sena (UBT) President and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray skipped the INDIA bloc rally scheduled in Ranchi this evening, an aide said here on Sunday.

However, he will be represented by senior MP Priyanka Chaturvedi at the first major Opposition parties’ public meeting in Jharkhand state, to be held at the Prabhat Tara ground in the state capital.

Thackeray’s absence is attributed to certain prior election-related and party commitments in Maharashtra where the Shiv Sena (UBT) is contesting 21 Lok Sabha seats.

Besides, other political bigwigs like Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, and representatives of over a dozen other INDIA bloc allies will address.

Sunita Kejriwal, wife of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, and Kalpana Soren, wife of ex-CM of Jharkhand Hemant Soren shall also attend and are likely to address the gathering.

Both Kejriwal and Soren are currently in jail in various cases and will miss the massive show of strength planned by the INDIA bloc in the state.