Thackeray’s failed ‘stab’ at success

Once more, Uddhav Thackeray used his ‘dagger’ to perfection. This time, Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi was his objective. When Prakash Ambedkar revealed during a press conference that Sanjay Raut had suggested running a candidate against him at the Maha Vikas Aghadi meeting, it caused quite a stir. Ambedkar also stated, ‘Sanjay Raut, you are lying’, but neither Sanjay Raut nor Uddhav Thackeray had the guts to respond. This highlighted Uddhav Thackeray’s use of dagger once more. 

Uddhav Thackeray needed support to stay in politics after having to resign as chief minister over a year and a half ago. In order to stay in politics at the time, he extended his cooperation to Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi. Ambedkar also consented to this alliance. As the Lok Sabha elections approached, Prakash Ambedkar opted to keep his alliance with Uddhav Thackeray intact, in fact, he has been consistently favouring this partnership. Ambedkar always wanted Uddhav Thackeray to take a stand for him and to persuade the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party on the distribution of seats within the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

But when discussions on seat distribution started, Uddhav Thackeray gave more weight to Sharad Pawar and the Congress than to Prakash Ambedkar. When Prakash Ambedkar realized that he was not being treated fairly in terms of seat distribution by the Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP, he too openly vented his rage. Ambedkar also levelled serious accusations against Uddhav Thackeray’s advisor Sanjay Raut during his outburst where he voiced his disapproval in public and said, “Sanjay Raut backstabbed the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi.”

The Ambedkar movement has always been derided by the Congress. The Congress twice defeated Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, an inspiration to crores of marginalized people, in the Lok Sabha elections. Dr. Ambedkar was caustic in his criticism of the Congress. He was adamant that the Congress would never influence the Ambedkar movement and he persisted in his resolve until the very end.

Prakash Ambedkar had often expressed that they would never appear weak and forlorn in front of the Congress-NCP. It is likely that Uddhav Thackeray is hopping that Ambedkar will now follow the Congress and Sharad Pawar, putting aside his dignity. But Ambedkar has declined. In order to survive in politics, one has to keep one’s credibility, but it appears that Uddhav Thackeray has lost this fundamental political principle by now and hence he has decided to favour Sharad Pawar and Congress over Prakash Ambedkar.

In collaboration with the Bharatiya Janata Party, Uddhav Thackeray ran for the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections and got votes in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. At that time, the BJP and Shiv Sena had secured 161 seats, a clear majority. At the time of the results, Uddhav Thackeray was being courted by the Congress and NCP leadership. He readily succumbed to the Congress-NCP’s offer where they agreed to assist him in becoming chief minister in exchange for breaking the coalition with the BJP. He betrayed the BJP leadership to obtain ‘Varsha’ bungalow, knowing full well that he would never be able to win the chief ministership by battling alone.

Uddhav and his son disregarded the opposition from his colleagues, particularly Eknath Shinde, who was opposed to ending the partnership with the BJP. Eknath Shinde and his colleagues chose to leave the Congress-NCP coalition as Uddhav Thackeray was unwilling to do so. Uddhav Thackeray had got the chief minister position by betraying the BJP leadership and today, he is compelled to toe the line of Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP in exchange. Respected Balasaheb Thackeray’s politics was always upright. Although Balasaheb supported the Congress during the 2007 and 2012 Presidential elections, he never abandoned his Hindutva ideology.

Recently, Congress prince Rahul Gandhi ended his NYAY Yatra at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. During his speech, Uddhav Thackeray did not dare utter his famous statement, ‘Majhya Tamam Hindu bandhu ani bhagininno’ (To all my Hindu brothers and sisters). When revered Balasaheb used to make this statement at the beginning of his speech at every gathering, the audience would cheer and whistle as they would be left spellbound. But now, Uddhav Thackeray is forbidden from using words like ‘Hindutva’ in order to maintain his good standing with the Congress. The pain experienced by venerable Balasaheb’s soul is unfathomable.

Uddhav Thackeray has also come to the realization that it is difficult to run against the BJP alone. He is therefore seeking assistance from Sharad Pawar and the Congress. And I have no doubt that in doing so, he has had to set aside his self-respect, revered Balasaheb and his Hindutva ideology. Now, Uddhav Thackeray is destined to follow Sharad Pawar and the Congress for survival.

 

(Article Pre-Published in Times of India -01 April 2024)

Keshav Upadhye, Chief Spokesperson