Uddhav won't survive on sympathy alone

Balasaheb's son faces leadership test, has tough task of keeping party together

With the end of an era in the death of Bal Thackeray, his son and shiv Sena executive president Uddhav faces an immediate task of keeping the party together and also consolidate its position ahead of 2014 assembly elections in Maharashtra. Besides, whether  Thackeay’s death will bring together Uddhav and his estranged cousin, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray to further avoid the division in Marathi votes.

Though he remained inactive for few years due to ill health and growing age, Bal Thackeray, who was popularly known as Hindu Hriday Samrat, had the last word in the party and controlled it with an iron fist. The question now remains whether the mild mannered Uddhav will be able to keep the flock together and retain loyalty of party satraps with the same vigour.

After the split in the saffron party in 2006, Raj, who continued to regard his estranged uncle Balasaheb as his god, was successful in capturing the imagination of Marathi Manoos and a large chunk of votes. It was evident that what was Sena’s loss was MNS’s gain in Dadar which has been a traditional stronghold of Shiv sena since its inception in 1966. During February 2012 elections to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, Sena was routed by MNS in Dadar and adjoining areas where the latter won all six seats.

In this backdrop, Uddhav’s leadership abilities will be put to test. Although the party has been ruling  the India’s richest civic body, the BMC since last 17 years, it faced three successive defeats in the assembly elections in 1999, 2004 and 2009 after a four and half year rule in an alliance with BJP in Maharashtra. Although Uddhav stands to gain from the sympathy votes, this is not enough to capture power in Maharashtra. Uddhav, who currently underwent angioplasty, will have to inspire the party members, revive shakhas and give the Shiv Sainiks a definite programme if the Sena has to come back to power in the state.
 
At present, the Shiv Sainiks are a confused lot. They are sandwiched between the party appointed functionaries and the aspirants which has led to a rampant factionalism within its rank.  The saffron party was unable to take a call whether to continue its over two decade alliance with BJP or go solo in the coming elections. This had viturally split the party top down. Uddhav will have to sit together with senior leaders and take a call in this regard and thereby send out a clear message that the party is strong enough to take on the ruling Congress-NCP alliance.
 
However, while doing so Uddhav cannot simply brush aside Raj Thackeray’s growing stature in the state politics. Even though Sena and BJP contested recent civic elections by roping in Republican Party of India, Uddhav will have to decide whether the Shiv Sena and MNS come together. Although ordinary party workers and BJP want the two cousins together, they will first have to sort out the contentious leadership issue.
 
Similarly, the question remains whether Raj will merge the MNS into Shiv Sena or formally arrive at an electoral alliance.