Is Shiv Sena and Udhav Thackeray`s political career over ?

After days of political unrest, Maharashtra’s chief minister, Uddhav Thackeray, announced his resignation late on Wednesday. Maharashtra is the richest state in India.

As the Supreme Court ordered his administration to demonstrate its majority in the state legislature on Thursday. He seemed to have anticipated the conclusion.

He had very little option. As the majority of his parliamentarians rebelled and declared their lack of faith in him and his coalition with the Congress and the centrist Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Mr. Thackeray and Shiv Sena party put collaboration ahead of core convictions of Hindu nationalism

The rebels said that Mr. Thackeray and his Shiv Sena party had disregarded their fundamental belief in Hindu nationalism in favor of the partnership.

They isolated themselves for days at a hotel in the northern state of Assam’s capital city of Guwahati. It is hundreds of miles from their home state.

The rebels have now returned to Mumbai, under the leadership of senior minister Eknath Shinde. It is anticipated that they will attempt to form a government with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Ironically, many Shiv Sena politicians would once more team up with the BJP. The chief minister’s viewpoint caused the two parties to split up in 2019, after being allies for more than 30 years.

What follows for one of the most powerful regional parties in India?

Its past could provide the answers. Bal Thackeray was the charismatic yet divisive father of Uddhav Thackeray. He established the Sena in 1966.

The party is not a stranger to rebellion. When senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal and a number of other parliamentarians and employees left the Sena in 1991. The party broke apart. Narayan Rane, a different leader, left the party in 2005. Therefore, taking a number of MPs with him.

Raj is the cousin of Uddhav Thackeray. Raj and number of politicians and staffers departed from the party in 2006.

However, analysts claim that the party is likely to feel demoralized after this failure. According to political expert Suhas Palshikar, the rebellion inside the party “has initiated the demise of Shiv Sena.”

Former Shiv Sena lawmaker Bharat Kumar Raut expresses a similar viewpoint. “The extent of this issue is unprecedented for the party.”

“Workers and sympathizers from the grassroots have also left the party.” It’s a “now or never situation for the Thackeray’s and the party,” he continues.

Bal Thackeray

Regional parties in India, like the Sena, have a lot of political sway and frequently beat national parties in local elections. Additionally, they are crucial if a national party loses the majority in federal elections.

Political cartoonist Bal Thackeray campaigned for the rights of the Marathis (those from Maharashtra) during the 1960s. When immigration surge from Kerala and other southern states.

According to a government investigation into the riots in Mumbai in 1992–1993, Shiv Sena members and a number of party officials are responsible for planning assaults against Muslims. However, Bal Thackeray found not guilty of any crime connected to the riots.

If the party’s 39 renegade legislators join forces with the BJP to form the next government, it could have to spend some time in the political wilderness. Mr. Thackeray’s issues will be exacerbated if his local employees begin to assist the insurgents.

At the moment, it’s unknown how much harm the revolt has done to the party’s structure at the district and village levels.

Shiv Sena, a notion that cannot be extinguished?

Rahul Patil, is one of the few who has remained faithful to his boss, Uddhav Thackeray.

“Shiv Sena is both an idea and a movement. A concept cannot be killed. We are Bala Saheb’s children (Bal Thackeray). We shall be devoted to him till the day we die. “

Gurushant Dhuttagaonkar, Sena leader, feels the party has emerged stronger after loss, “mainly due to the fact that we were in power in alliance with the BJP.”

However, he concedes that this is the most difficult issue the Sena has ever faced. “When you are in power, monies for the activities we conduct in communities arrive on a regular basis.” We lose voters if we are unable to do our task.”

Mr Patil, on the other hand, is convinced that the people would  punish the insurgents in the next state election. It is more than two years away.

The Sena is at a turning point

In conclusion, some people think that because of its identity’s connection to the Thackerays, the Sena will be able to recover. The Thackeray family is essential to the party’s existence. Bal Thackeray’s legacy is being carried on by Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray.

According to observers, in order to begin rebuilding their party, they will need to intensify their efforts to assert Bal Thackeray’s legacy.