Uddhav Thackeray, chief of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction, said that the party cannot be destroyed during its 60th anniversary celebrations [1].
This assertion comes as Thackeray seeks to stabilize his political base following a loss in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls and ongoing conflict with a rival faction led by Eknath Shinde.
Speaking in Goregaon, Mumbai, Thackeray framed the organization as more than a political vehicle. He said, "You cannot finish Shiv Sena because Shiv Sena is not a party. Shiv Sena is an ideology" [2]. He said the organization is an idea that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cannot finish [3].
The event marked 60 years since the party's founding [1]. The emotional appeal served as a direct response to criticism from the BJP following the BMC poll loss, which occurred days before the foundation event [4].
While Thackeray focused on the party's ideological endurance, Eknath Shinde also made public statements regarding the legacy of the organization. Shinde referenced "Operation Tiger," and said that it requires a tiger's heart and that a wolf cannot do the job [5]. Shinde said he has fulfilled the dreams of Balasaheb Thackeray [6].
The clash between the two leaders highlights the deep fracture within the original party. Both factions continue to claim the authentic legacy of the founder, while competing for the same voter base in Maharashtra.
“"You cannot finish Shiv Sena because Shiv Sena is not a party. Shiv Sena is an ideology."”
The competing claims of legacy between Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde illustrate a struggle for the 'soul' of the Shiv Sena. By framing the party as an ideology rather than a political entity, Thackeray is attempting to pivot from recent electoral setbacks to a more durable, identity-based appeal to his supporters.
