Raj Thackeray has now come out more openly against Uddhav Thackeray. Workers of Raj Thackeray’s party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena have again started creating ruckus on the streets – and it is worth noting that MNS workers are also getting open support from Raj Thackeray.
Raj Thackeray has hinted at this by calling the attack on Uddhav Thackeray’s convoy in Thane a reaction to the Beed incident. Some people had thrown betel nuts at Raj Thackeray’s convoy in Beed, for which Shiv Sena (UBT) workers have been accused.
In a social media post addressed to his supporters, Raj Thackeray has openly declared that if anyone points a finger at him, his MNS workers will give a double dose – and all this is happening when he has announced to contest alone on 200-235 assembly seats in Maharashtra. This also seems a bit strange because in the Lok Sabha elections held a few days ago, Raj Thackeray had given unconditional support to the ruling alliance Mahayuti in Maharashtra.
And not only Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray is also targeting Sharad Pawar along with him. Raj Thackeray directly alleges that Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar are trying to use the Maratha movement to incite riots in the Marathwada region. In a press conference in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Raj Thackeray claimed that Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar are using the reservation movement led by Manoj Jarange as a shield for caste politics.
Even when Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Raj Thackeray was seen to be quite active. From running a campaign against loudspeakers installed on mosques in Mumbai to the Ayodhya visit, Raj Thackeray kept challenging Uddhav Thackeray’s Hindutva agenda in various ways. Raj Thackeray’s language and political style seemed to match the BJP’s line, but later he calmed down and also postponed the Ayodhya visit. Perhaps the validity of the support he was getting from the BJP had ended, because by then the BJP had found an alternative to Raj Thackeray.
On August 9, when Raj Thackeray’s convoy was moving towards a hotel in Beed city, Shiv Sena (UBT) workers protested by throwing betel nuts and tomatoes. Along with this, Uddhav Sena supporters were also shouting slogans, ‘Suparibaaz chala jao’ (Contract workers go away). Earlier also these workers have been accusing Raj Thackeray of taking a contract to destroy the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray.
And the very next day when Uddhav Thackeray’s convoy was passing through Thane, Raj Thackeray’s party MNS workers threw bangles, tomatoes and coconuts. A case has been registered against 44 workers including the district president of MNS for this attack. Similarly, 4 workers of Shiv Sena (UBT) have been arrested for the Beed incident.
Raj Thackeray has described the attack on Uddhav Thackeray’s convoy as a reaction to the Beed incident. In a post addressed to MNS workers on social site X, Raj Thackeray has said that if anyone points a finger at him, he will get a double dose from the workers – this move of Raj Thackeray is being seen as his aggressive election campaign.
Raj Thackeray has said, the attempt to create obstacles during my Navnirman Yatra started from Dharashiv… Marathas were protesting in Dharashiv in the name of reservation movement, but later it was known that they had nothing to do with this movement… They were associated with Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray faction, and all these things came to light through social media… My soldiers of Maharashtra did what should be done.
Going forward, Raj Thackeray has clearly warned that if Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SCP) try to create obstacles during his Navnirman Yatra, then he himself will not be able to hold a single rally in Maharashtra.
How relevant is Raj in Maharashtra after the rise of Shinde?
If you look at it, Raj Thackeray’s frustration is reaching its peak. This is natural. Now even the existence of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is in danger. Raj Thackeray has tried opposing BJP and staying with it. So far he has not achieved anything – and he is just an MLA in the Maharashtra Assembly.
Earlier, Raj Thackeray had a special importance in the parallel politics against Uddhav Thackeray – because Raj Thackeray was considered a leader with the political temperament of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
And these were not baseless talks. Raj Thackeray had also established a special stature in the politics of Maharashtra. Raj Thackeray was considered a leader with real talent and Uddhav Thackeray was considered a leader who entered politics due to his father’s legacy.
A big difference was seen between the two brothers. To establish his politics, Raj Thackeray left the MNS workers to do hooliganism on the streets like the old Shiv Sainiks, while Uddhav Thackeray tried to take the party beyond its old image. As long as there was an alliance with BJP, everything was going well – the problem started when he broke away from BJP and joined hands with NCP and Congress to form the government in Maharashtra.
Even when Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister, Raj Thackeray adopted almost the same method of opposition as he had been doing from the beginning. Being an opponent of Uddhav Thackeray also benefited him for some days.
Even when the campaign to remove loudspeakers from mosques was going on in Maharashtra, people saw the reflection of Bal Thackeray in Raj Thackeray. Despite Uddhav Thackeray being the Shiv Sena leader and Chief Minister, Shiv Sainiks were seen to have more sympathy for Raj Thackeray and more faith in his Hindutva agenda. Even while standing in support of Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sainiks were seen supporting Raj Thackeray in their hearts – but now those things have ended.
Maharashtra has got a leader in the form of Eknath Shinde, the kind of image Shiv Sainiks used to see in Raj Thackeray. Eknath Shinde claims himself to be the real heir of Bala Saheb Thackeray, and BJP also propagates the same – it is a different matter that in the Lok Sabha elections, people have preferred Uddhav Thackeray’s candidates over Eknath Shinde.
Now it seems that before challenging Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray has started getting a challenge from Eknath Shinde – and when Eknath Shinde has stood up as a claimant to Bal Thackeray’s legacy, then where does Raj Thackeray’s relevance remain?
BJP has also used Raj Thackeray, and when he was unable to do any significant damage to Uddhav Thackeray, BJP started looking for a new character – and that task was also completed as soon as Eknath Shinde was found.
Now Uddhav Thackeray will be happy that first Raj Thackeray and Eknath Shinde should decide among themselves which line of politics they will follow – because in the Lok Sabha elections, the people of Maharashtra have already expressed their opinion in a way.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)