Narayan Rane's rebellion and subsequent expulsion is only more evidence, if indeed it was required, that the Shiv Sena is beginning to self-destruct. The charisma of its founder, Bal Thackeray, which had kept the party ranks together for decades, is proving an increasingly inadequate instrument for the purpose. The depredations of age, the ambitions of various subedars jostling for power within the party — each with his own set of loyalists — and the patent lack of a coherent organisational structure, have all taken their toll on the party.If the Shiv Sena had won last October’s assembly elections, it may have had the luxury of postponing the inevitable for a few more years. Unfortunately for its supremo, that was not to be. In time, the strengths of the party became its weakness. At one point in the history of Mumbai, it was able to capture the imagination of disgruntled Maharashtrian youth who believed that their future was being snatched from them before their very eyes by “outsiders”. The roar of the Tiger expressed their own anger.Today, the genie has deserted the lamp. The party that represented the Marathi manoos discovered that the Marathi manoos had himself changed — just like the metropolis itself — beyond all recognition. Without secure ideological underpinnings, the party began to increasingly depend on the ability of individual leaders — like Narayan Rane — to work the system and bring in the votes. But when this happens, there is a price to be paid. Unquestioning loyalty can no longer be guaranteed. A frail leader can no longer crown his son and expect the big daddies to remain compliant. Time has caught up with the Tiger.
