Cartoonist's script

 

 

The eighty-year-old tiger has swung it again for Shiv Sena. Bal Thackeray and his band of Shiv Sainiks have a pulled a victory in the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) polls that till recently had felt like a distant dream for the Sena chief, when two of his own loyalists deserted him. Narayan Rane, an old loyal Shiv Sena member who switched allegiance to the Congress, and Raj Thackeray, the rebellious yet charismatic nephew. “When I was with that party, I tolerated everything for 11 years so I expect the same kind of tolerance from our party workers,” the rebel Raj Thackeray had thumped belligerently.

But as these former key members rallied for the huge support they have so managed in the past, the battle became one of prestige. The result – the deserters have been now left holding an empty cup, while the old lion has retained his former territory.

The interesting thing to watch out for was Thackeray’s son, Uddhav Thackeray's phenomenal display of political astuteness. But to be fair, the victory did come with the help of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party. The two parties bickered mercilessly over the secular vote bank till the very last moment. The alliance that had been decided upon, the discussion on how the seats will be later allocated, the happy general camaraderie all fell through the roof when each one blamed the other for a rather egotist attitude. “We tried for 10 days to form an alliance but it did not work out,” exclaims Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Balasaheb on the other hand with his rising star son has once again appealed to the ‘true’ Mumbaikars, playing its tried and tested 'Maratha card.' As the party ‘begged’ Marathis to bring back Mumbai to Maharashtra, he struck a familiar cord. The real issues of road, water, transport were put in the backburner. The card paid dividend and the Thackerays will once again take control of the country's richest municipal corporation - Rs 12,000 crore in its bounty.

The conquest came at a time when people had written off Shiv Sena. Bal Thackeray had been gradually fading, barring occasional roars in the Sena mouthpiece, Saamna.

The emperor, not merely struck back, but is trying to drive a wedge between the NCP and the Congress, both baffled by the outcome. For Uddhav Thackeray, the story has only begun. Buoyed by the victory, the heir to the Sena throne will now aim to take over not merely Mumbai, but Maharashtra.