Indian politics has seen many dynasties ruling certain districts, regions of a particular state or even the entire states in the past and it has also seen some of these dynasties splitting and fighting among themselves over who dominates over whom but none of these dynastic fights have ever been as colourful as the rivalry between the Thackeray cousins. The rivalry and political tussle between cousin brothers Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray has been nothing short of a typical Bollywood masala movie or a television soap opera and now at the beginning of a new decade, this 15 year old drama is about to enter a ‘new season of episodes’!
On Thursday, Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray’s birth anniversary, Marathi news media in the state looked elated and thrilled to cover back to back rallies and speeches of Shiv Sena and MNS. More importantly Raj Thackeray showing very clear indications for the first time since he formed his party that he might be getting closer to Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party!
Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray separated from the Shiv Sena and launched his own party at the beginning of 2006. Raj looked impressive then. He was backed by a set of leaders who felt side lined within the Shiv Sena which was totally dominated by Uddhav and his close aids. In the first assembly election that the MNS faced, they got over a dozen of their candidates elected as MLAs and the party looked very promising. However the journey since then has been just a downward spiral for Raj. Today he does not have even a single MLA in the assembly and no control of even a single municipal corporation in the state. Now with cousin Uddhav actually becoming the Chief Minister of the state and backed by Sharad Pawar’s NCP and the Congress, Raj finds himself cornered with his back to the wall.
Many analysts have written in detail about why Raj has seen this downfall over the past decade and a half. But with the latest exhibition of plans of taking up Hindutva agenda that Raj showed in Mumbai on Thursday, it now seems that he is drifting like a rudderless boat, depending on which way the currents of water flow!
In the Lok Sabha polls of 2019 as well as the assembly elections of October 2019, and even till about a couple of months ago, Raj was the firebrand leader who took on the might of powerful BJP duo and held countless rallies all over Maharashtra to say that this duo needs to be defeated in all elections. Now Raj suddenly saying in the rally that he will meet union minister Amit Shah to discuss how illegal migrants can be thrown out and saying that he fully supports Modi-Shah’s CAA and NRC policy, has baffled all and made it clear that he is perhaps doing out of utter helplessness. Till three months ago Raj was seen countless times with NCP Chief Sharad Pawar. He was clearly projecting himself as a prominent face of the anti-BJP camp, today suddenly because Uddhav set the agenda by splitting with the BJP and going with Pawar, now Raj has to drift and align himself with the BJP!
Firstly this shows Raj’s helplessness and secondly it put his credibility at stake. People will find it difficult to trust a leader who vehemently targeted the BJP leadership over EVM machines, over the economic slowdown, over inflation and unemployment and over all other problems till three months ago, now saying he fully supports the government because their policy on illegal migrants is good!
Raj has to clearly think of which way he wants to head and not drift into a position that some other political outfit finds convenient for themselves.