Yesterday, Sanjay Raut, Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, stated that the Shiv Sena will not compromise on issues such as Hindutva and VD Savarkar. “Despite having ties with the Congress and the NCP in Maharashtra, they have always been tough on hindutva and Savarkar,” he said.
This comes after Rahul Gandhi said during his Bharat Jodo Yatra rally in Maharashtra that “the Congress has chosen Birsa Munda as their idol, who was a strong tribal leader.
Whereas on other hand BJP takes ideologies from Savarkar, who wrote many petitions to the British seeking mercy.”
Congress and Shiv Sena are sailing in opposite directions in the same boatÂ
Despite contesting elections in alliance with the BJP, the Shiv Sena aligned with the Congress and the NCP after the Maharashtra assembly elections in 2019. The Shiv Sena then broke away from the NDA alliance, forming the MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) and forming a government in Maharashtra.
Nobody expected Shiv Sena, a pro-hindutva party, to join the Congress and NCP, as the Congress and NCP have always taken a clear stance on Hindutva following Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, it appears that the MVA alliance is in jeopardy. Despite having opposing ideologies.
The Shiv Sena governed Maharashtra for more than two years before the trust balloon of other Shiv Sena leaders burst. As a result, the Shiv Sena was split into two factions: Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena and Uddhav Thackeray Shiv Sena.
Sanjay Raut: Out of jail, tying up loose ends to strengthen the partyÂ
Sanjay Raut was granted bail after the court ruled that the Shiv Sena leader’s arrest was unlawful. The ED arrested Sanjay Raut in an alleged money laundering case. Now that he is out of jail, his actions, as interpreted by the media.
It indicate that the Uddhav Thackeray Shiv Sena can either rejoin the BJP and re-unite their party, or it can remain in the MVA alliance. Now, if Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena wants to make inroads in the state, they must pick a side.
According to Sanjay Raut’s statements, the Shiv Sena cannot abandon their Hindutva and Savarkar approach.
Shiv Sena: From Marathi service to Hindutva ideology
Bal Thackeray, a well-known cartoonist, founded the Shiv Sena in 1966. The party was founded to provide preferential treatment to Marathi people, but it later incorporated Hindutva into its core ideology. The Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the BJP in 1989 and maintained the alliance until 2019.
It happened when it joined forces with the Congress and the NCP to form the Maharashtra government.Shiv Sena has always taken a tough stance on Hindutva, and this ideology has weakened during the party’s regime from 2019 to 2022.
The Shiv Sena’s core leaders staged a coup and formed a government with the help of the BJP, and Bal Thackeray confidant Eknath Shinde became Maharashtra’s chief minister. Now the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) is once again leaning toward Hindutva because it is their core vote base.
Image source: rediffmall
Can the BJP and Shiv Sena work together again?Â
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Following recent developments, there are rumors that the BJP can facilitate talks between both factions of the Shiv Sena and thus unite the party. It is seen because all three parties (BJP, Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), and BSS (Balasahebnechi Shiv Sena) are unable to win elections in Maharashtra.
Their dispersed vote bank benefits only the Congress and the NCP. Sanjay Raut shot down these rumors, claiming that they had not changed their ideology regarding Hindutva and that such derogatory remarks could weaken the MVA alliance.
He was also imprisoned for a few months, which could lead to him joining the BJP and staying out of trouble.
