MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray once told the Times of India that he must be the most lonely man in the world. Even though he has thousands of followers, he said that he felt lonely. With Raj raising the banner of revolt, he must be feeling even more lonely. In the past, leaders like Chhagan Bhujbal, Ganesh Naik and Narayan Rane had deserted him. These defections did hurt him, but the revolt of Raj has shaken him completely.

This is the first time a Sena leader sporting the Thackeray surname was rebelling. And Thackeray Sr appears to be having no strategy to counter Raj.

Nearing 80, the tiger is simply not in a condition to roar. And what is worse, his son Uddhav lacks the aggression needed to neutralise Raj.

Raj has timed his revolt well. After the humiliating defeat in Malwan by-election at the hands of Narayan Rane, the party rank and file has been demoralised as never before. Rane had also caused considerable harm by openly accusing Uddhav of ruining the party. All those who defected from the party have only prospered politically. While Bhujbal became deputy CM, Naik and Rane had bagged plum posts in the cabinet under Congress-NCP regime. Considering the kind of support which he has been able to muster for his cause, Raj appears to be capable of posing a huge challenge to Thackeray’s decision to anoint Uddhav as his political heir.

But Uddhav too is in no mood to relent. Even though he has held the olive branch to his cousin by inviting him for talks, he has also made it clear that he will not let Raj take a cakewalk over the party. Over the past few months, Uddhav has been consciously trying to have a image make over by talking the language of violence.—By arrangement with the Times of India.