End of an epoch in Maharashtra politics?

With Diwali over, every politician, journalist and gossip mongers were behind the results of the assembly elections. While all major surveys and exit polls had gone in favour of the ruling Congress and Nationalist Congress Party alliance, they are still seen with a suspect given the impeccable track record of such surveys in the past. Opinion and exit polls are considered fickle next only to the forecasts by meteorology department in India. With large numbers of rebels, new enfant terrible like Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Jan Surajya Party and Republican Left Democratic Front, the fight was sure to be most difficult of all times. but even than that, this election will go down in the history of Maharashtra as one bringing an epoch to close.

That epoch of course being the political rivalry and influence of two personalities who have influenced the politics of state for over three to four decades. Yes, you guessed it right. After the result, Bal Thackerey, the Shiv Sena chief and Sharad Pawar, the NCP chief will not hold the sway like before in this election. Thackerey, who founded Shiv Sena in 1966 and headed single handedly since then is now an old tiger. He is credited with bringing the first non-Congress government in state which worked its full term. That this government was formed in alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party does not make any dent in his contribution. On the contrary, he was the only acceptable mascot of the alliance in state.

Bal Thackerey was the chief pioneer of Marathi son of soil agitations. An entire party was built on this issue but he had to relegate the issue to give it a broader ambit, that of Hindutva. But such was his clout that not a finger was raised towards him for navigating to other waters. He had built a dedicated supporter base and those supporters were ready to follow him wherever he lead. No questions asked, no questions permitted either. For years on years, media watched him addressing rallies at Shivaji Park in Mumbai . People thronged in hordes, growing in numbers each year. Media used all sorts of words to downplay his cult following, ranging from rhetoric to venom. But he grew in clout. He grew manifolds. Soon, Shiv Sena was seen ruling in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation , next only perhaps to legislature assembly in terms of political and administrative importance. The power in the MMC also gave access to immense resources to the party. Within 25 years from the formation of the party, Shiv Sena was seriously challenging the hegemony of Congress rule. In 1990 assembly elections, the SS-BJP alliance missed political power by whiskers. Within a year, it got its biggest shock till then.

Chhagan Bhujbal left Shiv Sena in December 1991 since he was miffed after being ignored for the post of leader of opposition in state assembly. His expectation was justified as he was party’s lone knight in the assembly since 1985. Still, Thackerey, who was now called Balasaheb with an appreciative accent by even his detractors, did not mend his fences. He still kept his hold on the party, dictated his terms and reigned over Mumbai. With some favorable developments and vigorous campaigning, he managed to what he called, “Furl the saffron flag on assembly.” Even though SS-BJP combine suffered losses in later years, in terms of seats and human capital also, that Bal Thackerey is a catchword in the Maharashtra’s political scene is a foregone conclusion. From trade unions to Bollywood, from students to the average middle class person, from women to activists, there is no as mesmerizing thing as a call  from the octogenarian leader.

On his part, Thackerey has seldom missed a chance to show that he is a truckload of fire in his belly. For a party constantly harping on Chhatrapati Shivaji’s name for its livelihood, it is nothing less than a blasphemy to denounce the project of Shivaji memorial which is coming up in Arabian sea off Mumbai coast. It was not without nothing that the party telecasted a long interview of the Old Tiger recently on all major Marathi channels. It is a last ditch effort to encash its most successful brand in an era when the party is desperately missing the aggressive frontmen. This interview also proved that for Marathi audience, there is nothing as entertaining, as enthralling a presentation as a direct speech oratory of Thackerey.

Now with Shiv Sena losing the election, then it is over for Thackerey who pledged last time that he will not remove the beard unless the party is voted back in power. With his frail health and lost hopes, he is not expected to guide the party in next elections, let alone lead it. His struggles against the Congress will be recorded as a crusader who showed that David can fight the Goliath while becoming Goliath himself. We should see his latest outbursts against his nephew Raj for betraying the Marathi cause. At this age after so many decades, it is always hard to digest the bitter truth.