Doctrine of karma

The Central Election Commission recently recognized Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena as the official Shiv Sena. This decision will have far-reaching effects on the politics of Maharashtra. In 2019, after betraying the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the chief ministerial position, Uddhav Thackeray began considering himself as a powerful political leader. Credibility is crucial in politics, whether you are in power or not. And Uddhav Thackeray seems to have forgotten the basics of politics.

 

Uddhavrao’s father, Balasaheb Thackeray was true to his word. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena shared an alliance since 1989. As long as Balasaheb was alive, there had been differences between the BJP leadership and Balasaheb himself. But, Balasaheb never took recourse to the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party nor attempted to join hands with them. During the 2007 and 2012 presidential elections, Balasaheb Thackeray supported congress lead UPA candidate instead of supporting the BJP’s candidate. But while taking this decision, he had not broken ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Even before that, i.e., during the 1997 presidential elections, the BJP had supported K R Narayanan whereas Shiv Sena had backed T N Sheshan. The alliance between the BJP and the Shiv Sena was formed on the basis of Hindutva. And Shiv Sena supremo, revered Balasaheb Thackeray was never dishonest with this Hindutva ideology. 

 

The National Democratic Alliance government under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in power at the Centre from 1998 to 2004. The government was formed in alliance with various regional parties. Since there were differences with these regional parties on certain issues, the BJP leadership was always at task to put things in place. At that time, Balasaheb Thackeray had shown the magnanimity of his heart by saying that it was ok even if the BJP leadership at the Centre had given away his share of ministership to the other parties. Revered Balasaheb Thackeray had also, at times, criticised the BJP leadership when there were disagreements over seat sharing and other issues. Balasaheb knew that parties like the Congress and the NCP were staunch opponents of Hindutva and the nationalist ideology. And hence he never thought of breaking the alliance that was formed on the issue of Hindutva. 

 

Uddhav Thackeray broke the alliance with the BJP complaining that union home minister Amit Shah had promised to give him the chief ministerial position for two-and-a-half years and later refused to keep the promise. And after he became the chief minister, Uddhav Thackeray began behaving vindictively with the leaders, office bearers and the ordinary workers of the BJP. Uddhav Thackeray had tried to get Devendra Fadnavis arrested in a false case. He got the MP-MLA couple Navneet and Ravi Rana arrested under the charge of treason as they had declared to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Matoshree, Uddhav Thackeray’s residence. Journalist Arnab Goswami was also arrested in a false case. Many ordinary BJP activists were booked and arrested for raising criticism against Uddhav Thackeray on social media. Similar traits of having dire desire for power and arrogance were noticed by the country in the past in the form of Indira Gandhi. Uddhavrao met his fate owing to his dictatorial regime.

 

While endorsing Eknath Shinde’s party as the real Shiv Sena, the election commission mentioned a few things. In 1999, the Shiv Sena had registered its constitution with the Election Commission. Later, there were amendments made in this constitution in 2018 which had to be conveyed to the election commission by Uddhav Thackeray’s party. It was mandatory. But neither Uddhav Thackeray nor his colleagues felt the need to inform the election commission. On the contrary, Uddhav Thackeray’s party filed a petition in the court demanding that the hearing before the election commission must be deferred. According to the amendment, a provision was made wherein the party chief will have the right to appoint the committee members who will then select the party chief. The aim was to make sure that all the rights remain only with Uddhav Thackeray as the party chief. By incorporating this change, Uddhav Thackeray had made sure that the democracy within his party comes to an end.

 

The Election Commission observed that it was not appropriate for political parties to stifle the democracy within the party in such a manner. Since Uddhav Thackeray’s party had not complied with the conditions laid down by the election commission while amending the party constitution, the commission has left with no other option but  to decide on the single criteria of numerical strength. And since Eknath Shinde had the numerical strength both in the Parliament and in the Legislature, the commission endorsed Eknath Shinde’s party. 

 

Uddhavrao, who complained that this decision had brought the country’s democracy to stake, had in fact, ended the democracy within his party. It was Uddhav Thackeray who had conspired with the Congress-NCP and backstabbed the BJP at a strategic moment. The BJP leaders have always kept their word. It may be recalled that almost two-and-a-half years ago, the central leadership of the BJP had crowned Nitish Kumar the chief minister of Bihar despite having more seats than Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United). Since that election was contested under the leadership of Nitish Kumar, the BJP leadership did not insist on the chief ministerial position despite having outnumbered. Here in Maharashtra, there was no question of giving Uddhav Thackeray the chief ministerial position even for two-and-a-half years. But Uddhav Thackeray backstabbed the BJP and became the chief minister, thus losing his credibility forever. Uddhavrao’s treacherous move to put the BJP in a difficult situation today has backfired on him.

 

In this backdrop I am reminded of Saint Tukaram’s ‘as you sow, so shall you reap’ theory where he has aptly explained that ‘we always get what we give’. In this case, Uddhav Thackeray was fortunate to get everything owing to his father’s meritorious deeds, but today, owing to his misdeeds, he has lost it all. Now that is what I call the ‘doctrine of karma’

 

(Article Pre-Published in Times of India Online  – 27 Feb. 2023)

 

Keshav Upadhye, Chief Spokesperson