By Sushil Kutty
Filmic conclusions can be happy and unhappy. This one is filmic because it began with an interview involving filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar and needs a grand opening: Will cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray end estrangement and join hands against the BJP and the Shinde Sena? To Manjrekar, Raj Thackeray is the sort who will employ “anything for Maharashtra”, a sentiment that tugs at the heart of every ‘Marathi’.
“Maharashtra was much bigger than the differences between me and my cousin,” Raj Thackeray told Manjrekar, who was not unaware of the real and political cousins parting ways in 2005, much to Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray’s disapproval. Now, after a gap of 20 years, Raj and Uddhav Thackeray want to shake off the demons and the gremlins. There is talk of a reconciliation, a joining of hearts and hands. Raj Thackeray took the initiative but Uddhav Thackeray wants Raj to fully fall in line; shake off the BJP and Shinde Sena yoke.
Raj Thackeray and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are buddies from way back. Uddhav Thackeray knows! The “warring cousins” have a history of irreconciliables. Raj Thackeray quit and formed the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in 2006. Balasaheb Thackeray thought it absurd but the bitterness kept the two cousins apart and Balasaheb lost interest.
After a time even Shiv Sainiks lost interest. But Raj Thackeray was at Uddhav Thackeray’s swearing-in as Chief Minister and earlier, in 2012, Raj Thackeray was at Uddhav’s hospital bed after Uddhav beat back a heart-attack. The buzz is the cousins have helped themselves to conditions that created the distance between them.
As of now, there is talk they might “unify”, at least for the sake of “Maharashtra”, which is all song and dance because if anything can make them bury the hatchet, it is only politics and politicking alone. Uddhav Thackeray is at his political tether’s end and he wants a bail out. Under the circumstances, who better than Cousin Raj?
Some busybodys say the differences between Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are personal, and that this has left the field open for a political patch-up “for the existence of Maharashtra, for the existence of the people of Maharashtra.”
For Raj Thackeray it all boiled down to intention but what are Uddhav Thackeray’s intentions? Raj Thackeray doesn’t mind working with Uddhav Thackeray, but what about the “person in front of me, does he want to work with me?” Uddhav Thackeray is a difficult person to work with.
Uddhav Thackeray likes setting conditions. He is open to “reunion” but insists “we can’t just keep switching sides.” Raj Thackeray must first promise he wouldn’t shift political allegiance. Uddhav Thackeray forgot that Raj has been telling all and sundry since 2005, “All I had asked for was respect. All I got was insults and humiliation.”
Raj Thackeray set up Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in 2006. It is doubtful if Uddhav Thackeray could have set up a political party from scratch. Balasaheb Thackeray knew this and, therefore, let Raj Thackeray go and build his own nest. Balasaheb Thackeray’s death in 2012 was followed by casual meetings between the two at some events.
The buzz now hasn’t created that much of a noise though journalists keep pushing the envelope. Most likely, the buzz will peter out all by itself. There is no urgency to speak of. Maybe, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections might beckon unity. And getting back Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena lock, stock and barrel is an irresistible incentive.
Shiv Sena (UBT) can’t do it all alone and neither does Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray have a general’s yen. Beating Eknath Shinde at his own game calls for special street-fighting abilities, which Raj Thackeray used to have in plenty; he was Balasaheb Thackeray’s strongarm.
Eknath Shinde wants Raj Thackeray to join the Shinde Sena! But why would Shinde want another Thackeray heading Shiv Sena? Raj Thackeray will eat Shinde alive given the chance. If both factions of the Shiv Sena unite, very soon Raj Thackeray will be looking more and more like Balasaheb Thackeray!
Raj Thackeray at the helm of a unified Shiv Sena sounds great to Shiv sainiks of both factions. The electoral mathematics and the political dynamics look great. The “larger picture” of a Raj-Uddhav reunion points to a good future. The BJP sees possibilities, the only Groucho is Eknath!
Then, again, a Raj-Uddhav consolidation might help the INDI-Alliance. Bottom-line: It is up to the Thackeray cousins to prove that ‘Marathi’ is thicker than blood. Uddhav and Raj Thackeray are cousins because they are the offspring of two brothers who married two sisters. The irony is the cousins worked to prove that blood wasn’t thicker than water.
The problem is the world has moved on since the cousins split and “safeguarding the interests of Maharashtra and the Marathi language” is empty rhetoric. Shiv Sena (UBT) ‘Saamana’ says unity is a must if “nectar has to come out of poison, Maharashtra needs it.” There are others who say a life spent in arguments and fights is a waste of time, which Maharashtra will not forgive.
Yet others are “apprehensive”. The Hindiwala is shaking in his hawai chappals at the very thought. For the ‘Madrasi’, “lungi and Pungi” will be back. ‘Cousins Thackeray’ reminds Indians of regional chauvinism; in Mumbai, Hindi and Tamil are allies!
Point is, how Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray navigate relations “after unity” is a question-mark? For the “good of Maharashtra” is a nice place to begin from but to set the tone and keep up the tune isn’t easy. Sanjay Raut’s ‘Saamana’ must play a positive role and stop taking potshots at “outsiders”.
Chances are Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena will remain two parties apart. The BJP and the Shinde Sena have been using Raj Thackeray’s shoulders and Shiv Sena (UBT) identifies itself with ‘Marathi Manoos’ but Raj Thackeray has laid claim on ‘Hindutva’ and the legacy of ‘Hindu Hriday Samrat’ Balasaheb Thackeray. There are too many irreconciliables for Uddhav and Raj to overcome. (IPA Service)
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