Politics Over Migrants: Party’s ‘sons of the soil’ agenda changes as per convenience
A tiger, as the saying goes, cannot change its stripes. However, the tiger in Maharashtra's politics, the Shiv Sena, is gradually reverting to the agenda of Hindutva, while moving beyond its core Marathi manoos plank. Not to be undone, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's estranged cousin Raj is reaching out to north Indian migrants and the Jain community, who once faced the wrath of his party.
In his Dusshera rally on Thursday, Uddhav may announce his visit to Ayodhya for the symbolic shilanyas (foundation) of the Ram temple at the disputed site.
The Sena, which wants to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls sans an alliance with the BJP, wants to tap into the anger among hardline Hindutva adherents on the BJP's inability to build the temple. The Sena's presence in Assembly elections in states like Madhya Pradesh and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, could queer the pitch for the BJP in multi-cornered fights.
Some Sena leaders feel that in case of a face-off, the linguistic polarisation is likely to benefit the party (Sena) with Marathi voters preferring it over the MNS. With its Marathi vote bank secure, the Sena may attempt an auxiliary, incremental constituency among working and lower-middle class non-Maharashtrians, who have significant numbers in and around Mumbai, and hardline Hindutva voters.
Sena's North India in-charge Vinay Shukla said that the issue of Marathi pride formed the core of the Sena's politics, but Hindutva helped widen its appeal. "People across linguistic denominations want the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya," he said.
The dwindling Marathi speakers, who are said to account for just a fourth of Mumbai's demography, down from around 52% when the state of Maharashtra was formed in 1960, may have also prompted a rethink. "The Sena may be trying to tap the business class which feels let down by the BJP," said a senior MNS leader.
The changing demography saw the BJP making inroads into traditional Sena bastions like Girgaum and Goregaon.
The Sena also fielded North Indian and Gujarati candidates in the civic polls.
On the other hand, the MNS, which has just one MLA in the assembly, down from the previous strength of 13, may be looking to dilute its hardline image for a possible electoral truck with the Congress and NCP. Raj has addressed the Jain community in Mumbai and Pune. He has been invited by the Uttar Bharatiya Mahapanchayat to address its members on December 2. "The NCP seems to be eager to get us into a grand alliance of Opposition parties. This outreach may be an attempt to dilute the MNS' image for a possible electoral understanding for the Lok Sabha polls," admitted an MNS leader. However, Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam dismissed the Sena's efforts to reach out to non-Maharashtrians as a "show aimed at the elections."
A Makeover
- Since 1966, Shiv Sena has balanced the Marathi agenda and Hindutva plank
- In 1980, Sena crossed swords with Muslims on disputes over the Mahikavati and Durgadi temples, Haji Malang shrine and the Bhiwandi riots
- Sena used the Hindutva plank in the 1987 Vile Parle bypolls
- It allied with the BJP on the Hindutva agenda in 1989
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