The Rise and Fall of the Thackeray’s

The topic that I chose to write today is personally a little painful to pen down but post the so called “Sabha” taken by Raj Tahckeray I had to say enough is enough. As the “Marathi manus” from Mumbai I have come to live with the terms “Thackeray Shaili”(style) and Thackrey dominance and honestly enjoyed every bit of it till a few years ago, precisely till the death of “BALA SAHEB THACKERAY.” The man who ruled Mumbai or Mumbai let him rule itself I don’t know, since the love that the man received here was not just unconditional but also of a kind seldom a regional politician has got. Nothing about BALA Saheb the man was normal, his charisma and his enigma just ran through the blood of every Marathi youth. The famous Mumbai bandh and the various anodolans will be etched in the minds of the people living here forever.  For the people of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s in Maharashtra and specially in Mumbai one more photo was added in the list of photos people worship at home “BAL KESHAV THACKERAY.”

Lot of people who are outsiders and who have not viewed Maharashtra politics from within say BAL THACKERAY was divisive and invoked regionalism, but all these are stereotypes that a complex leader cannot be subjected to. We Have to remember the India of 60 and 70 and 80 was different from today. The closed congress and communists economic regimes ensured that India had massive scarcity of jobs. For India’s rising population, Mumbai the only functioning major industrial centre, the city of dreams was able to provide life changing or income generating opportunities to everyone which the gov. was unable to provide elsewhere and hence herds of crowds came in to make their fortunes here. This led to the local youth feeling that they are sidelined. The crisis of the needy can be opportunity of the worthy and BALA KESHAV THACKERAY was quick to seize this opportunity. The unrest led to the birth of SHIV SENA. The sena as we all know did few things that could be termed by the rule book, but the people centric approach was evident and  BAL KESHAV THACKERAY had become the undisputed ruler of the city and “ SAHEB.”  BALA SAHEB through his speeches (nothing short of legendary), his cartoon skills and his connect with the masses was an instant hero of the angry young man. But his were not just words, that words transformed into actions and a lot of Marathi youth who lead a life of dignity would owe it partially or fully to that man. A lot of people accuse him being regional; nothing can be further from truth. Infact the HINDUTAV that he preached or the stance he took during the RAM MANDIR issue undoubtedly prove him to be a one with NATIONAL vision. The fact that Hindus during and after the 93 riots and bomb blasts were protected more by the Saniks on ground  than by the state helped THACKERAY secure the BMC election, the election which it is still to lose post that.

BALA SAHEB was never a static leader but a visionary and thus after the RAM JANMABOOMI movement and  when India’s economy was set free from the clutches of controlled communists economics BALA SAHEB forged an alliance with the BJP to form a 1^st non congress government in Maharashtra. HE was 1^st person to vision bringing in a foreign player in energy space in INDIA with Enron project which showed his risk taking ability as a leader.  The 1^st private –public partnership (PPP) model was implemented in infrastructure under his government by Nitin Gadkari by building the MUMBAI-PUNE express highway. The template was set and what Nitinji has done in Modi sarkar is for everyone to see. He was also a visionary in forging the alliance with Ramdas Athavle to tap in the rising Dalit movement, the alliance that again has stood the test of time at least as NDA. The problem with such charismatic leader often becomes succession and he was no exception.

The split between the two cousins RAJ and UDDHAV was the 1^st sign of the crack in that impregnable fortress called MATOSHRI.  The subsequent death of BALA SAHEB created a vacuum in the Maharashtra’s political space. The entire Maharashtra or I would not be wrong to say India was watching with eagerness that which of the two brothers would take the place of the man that we had called SAHEB. People I believe always want a local leader to represent and understand the day to day problems. And Maharashtra and Mumbai was used to having it. Sadly the journey of both brothers has been a disgrace to the kind of life BALA SAHEB led. UDDHAV for all his supposed capabilities just could not connect with the audience through his speeches. The aggressive sainiks were just not ready for a perceived mild leader who failed to engage them by his words and humor. Mean while RAJ THACKERAY showed all that what BALASHEB had, the oratory skills and connected really well with the masses. But Raj missed the fundamental point that his audience, the 90’s kids and millennial were different from BALA SAHEB’s audience of the 60’s. Most of the people who had been on the roads for BALA SAHEB had made good careers for themselves, their kids learnt in English medium schools mostly were they interacted with all types of Indians. The big factor was that the opening of economy in 90’s, subsequent reforms of NDA1 and the IT boom was 2000’s, had drastically altered the political dimensions. By 2005-2006 when this brothers started handling their parties the cake (private sector led economic and job growth) was much bigger and the next generation Maharashtrian kids were not thinking Marathi alone. The private sector provided them jobs and the internet had already connected them to the world leave alone rest of India in an unimaginable way. The mindset of the masses had changed and they clearly did not mind the sharing of the larger cake with so called outsiders. The speeches of the brothers however remained the same and the issues addressed were the same as well.   The THACKERAY skill of speeches that people were so used to did manage to give RAJ a clear advantage but the issue he picked up were neither relevant to the times nor had any conviction with which it was delivered. The disillusionment was evident among the people and after the immediate burst of success the train derailed never to come back on track again.

As all this was happening in Maharashtra the Modi wave had struck India, and both brothers wanting to ride the wave had clearly sided with Modi. The BJP went in with Shiv Sena their old time ally in 2014, but the results of the 2014 elections ensured that the regional parties had very little say in the national politics. Both brothers subsequently have made series of allegation against the BJP.UDDHAV’s case is peculiar as he has made more anti BJP comments in the last 5 years irrespective to having an existential alliance with BJP at all the three levels(BMC, state and center). This has alienated masses the most for his duplicity and hollowness. The SAMANA and its editor SANJAY RAUT  have become a laughing stock for Marathi manus and I believe his loose and irresponsible comments against Modi and Fadnavis  have single handedly ensured that the masses have even lost the soft corner they had for SHIV SENA of BALA SAHEB. The indecisive leadership of UDDHAV and the lack of agenda rhetoric by RAJ THACKERAY have turned the 1^st family of Mumbai into laughing stock. The new low was today created by RAJ THACKERAY in his speech when he accused Modi the PM of India was orchestrating the strikes for political gains in 2019. Sorry Mr. RAJ for Saying this but I today feel ashamed to acknowledge the fact that I once saw a good leader for MAHARASHTRA in you.  BALA SAHEB who was fierce opponent of the congress, also had always acknowledged the achievements of Indira Gandhi for 1971 war.  As I painfully heard every word of yours I was filled with rage for such blatant falsehood you spoke.  Accusing your own government of strikes on your own country is I am sorry a statement unacceptable to any sane Indian.  The CARAVAN news paper you quoted is hard left news propaganda machinery who had just few days back tried to divide the CRPF into caste census. The moment to you said the air force missed the target as information was wrongly provided; you were accusing RAW and intelligence forces of being pro-Pakistan and Anti-India and doubting the air-force over its comments of successful strike. You RAJ TAHCKERAY knowingly or otherwise took a pro- Pakistan stand. Did you forget that the communists you were quoting today are the same people your uncle our beloved BALA SAHEB took on to remove the red terror out of Mumbai. You Raj Thackeray by stooping so low today have further paved your own way into the oblivion.  RAJ you said peoples memory is short and they forget quickly and hence you were reminding people of ills of Modi sarkar. The fact is people will remember your today’s speech to remind themselves of why not to vote for you ever again. Criticizing the gov. is a legit stance in democracy but such blatant allegations on PM of treason are not only shameful but inexcusable. Even BALA SAHEB would be ashamed of you today.

Maharashtra, Mumbai has its specific issues, but they are no longer roti , kapada or makan. The demands of the youth are not just local but global. They want to see Mumbai the financial capital remain so which under its current infrastructure is dying. The issues are the ever crowded locals and the ever deteriorating roads. The flooding of Mumbai in every monsoon, the illegal and flourishing Narco trade and the loosing of business to other emerging cities in India are Mumbai’s current hot issues. The problem of Mumbai is to remain the no 1 commercial centre of India and the problem cannot be solved by just looking inward. The answer no longer is Shutting down the voice of people like Malishka (not otherwise a fan) with force but addressing those issues. The space for politics is huge within the legit scope of politics to carve out a niche for you within that spectrum and remain relevant. But sadly as other cities like Indore, Surat, Ahemdabad, Gurgaon march to glory our cities like Nasik, Nagpur and Pune fail to push the growth button. Both the Tackerays instead of addressing the core issues and making efforts that new business houses should come to Maharashtra and start shop here and provide jobs to millions of youth are busy trying to stay relevant by going after Modi.

Leaders dear Tackeray’s are not just created by speeches but are created by masses who support them on ground and the masses are clearly not with you. My only suggestion to both brothers is go back to drawing board re work your strategy and come back with a plan which is relevant for today. The political space is very much there for a strong regional leader to create his space, the choice is yours to change with time and adopt or get annihilated.