Maha polls: Why the Aaditya is deviating from Thackeray family tradition?

Aaditya Thackeray, 29, has become the first member of the Thackeray family to contest, as he filed his nomination from the Worli Assembly constituency in Mumbai

Aaditya Thackeray, 29, has become the first member of the Thackeray family to contest, as he filed his nomination from the Worli Assembly constituency in Mumbai on Thursday for the October 21 elections.

Since Bal Thackeray founded Shiv Sena in 1966, neither him nor any members of his immediate family contested the elections. Thackeray himself was clear that he would not take any position of power or not contest the election, although his party used to be entirely dependent on him for the election campaign. He used to insist in his rallies that he had no lust for power. During 1995-99, when the Sena-BJP alliance was in power, Thackeray used to say that the remote control of the government was in his hand and that he would use it for people. His critics used to point out that he wanted the perks of power, but didn’t want any accountability or scrutiny.

His son, Uddhav, who took over as the Sena chief after Bal Thackeray passed away in 2012, too, chose not to contest the elections, although there were speculations that he would have become the chief minister had the party won power in the 2004 or 2009 Assembly elections. Thackeray’s politically ambitious nephew Raj, who later formed his outfit, Maharashtra Navnnirman Sena, too, at no point showed interest in contesting the election. Why has the first family of the Sena changed its stand?

According to party insiders, the Sena leadership thinks the move is in line with the changing nature of politics. First, it can establish Aaditya’s leadership as a leader who gets elected and has an appeal among voters. Second and more important, the leadership thinks it is necessary to keep the reins of power in hand rather than wielding the remote control by appointing others in positions of power, who may not think twice before betraying the party.

Sena founder the late Bal Thackeray could stay out of the government and still call the shots. Uddhav, too, managed to do that, but there is no guarantee the future leadership would be able to do the same, considering how the politics in the state is changing.

“If you look at the defections that have been happening since 2014, leaders don’t bother about loyalty and don’t think twice before defecting to other party for better prospects. In such a scenario, it would be difficult to control the government if our party is in power. Why hand over the reins of power in other’s hands,” asks a senior Sena leader.

A close aide of Uddhav Thackeray points out: “Uddhavji closely saw how the leaders groomed by his father betrayed him the moment they saw better options. Narayan Rane and Chhagan Bhujbal were given prime positions of power by senior Thackeray, but they split the party for personal benefit.

Even during Manohar Joshi’s tenure as the chief minister, Thackeray often suspected that the former was hiding things from him. Uddhavji doesn’t want something similar to happen in the future.” In case of Aaditya’s political future, both Uddhav and his wife Rashmi Thackeray (whom he consults on important matters), are keen that he should embrace the legislative power and become the chief minister in the coming years. They also think he would be in better control of the party with power in hand.

“Aaditya’s political career has been planned in advance. That’s why the youth wing of the party was floated and he was announced as its head by none other than Balasaheb Thackeray himself,” the aide adds.

Among the regional parties in India, the Sena was so far the only party with leadership that stayed away from positions of power. That may become history soon.