Now, the state has an unprecedented situation where there are six major political players with three on each side.
In a sarcastic attack on Anna Hazare and his team, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Monday asked the social activist not to take any credit for "the anti-Congress sentiments" in the country created by rising prices.
The spectacle of lakhs of followers of Bal Thackeray silently congregating for his funeral and leaving without any violence was hitherto unseen. Just when people were beginning to wonder if the Shiv Sena was changing came the attack on a hospital in Palghar following a Facebook post by a young girl. Mahesh Vijapurkar on what to expect of the Sena after Bal Thackeray.
Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com reports from Shivaji Park and the MMRDA ground to sense the mood of Shiv Sena workers -- from the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde camps.
With NCP president Sharad Pawar's meeting with Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray triggering speculation about a possible realignment of forces in Maharashtra, the BJP has that said the event will not disturb its existing alliance with the Sena nor would the tie-up expand to include a third party.
The Shiv Sena on Monday said that the 'much speculated' meeting between the party supremo Bal Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on Sunday was not held to discuss any 'future strategy'.
'Raj will have to do a lot more to win over the public and overcome the trust deficit. It is a lot of work and needs political patience, which can come with maturity and understanding. All of these seem to be lacking in the man.'
From enjoying beer sessions with Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray on the terrace of his Matoshree residence to going on vacations with Nationalist Conress Party chief Sharad Pawar and his family, the late thespian Dilip Kumar enjoyed warm relations with leaders belonging to different political hues, even though the ties strained later.
'The Shiv Sena and the Ambedkarites are two powerful social forces in Maharashtra with a presence in the toiling classes. However, they were made to fight each other by the powers that be. Now, they are joining hands while overcoming this contentious past.'
All mosques have taken permission for the use of loudspeakers, Raut said.
The Shiv Sena leader said dirty politics is being played following the death of the Bollywood actor and without naming anyone, added that the allegation being levelled is political stomach-ache stemming from frustration.
Despite belonging to a political dynasty of sorts, Aaditya Thackeray is the first in his family to contest an election.
"(Someone said) I have promised that I will make a Shiv Sena worker chief minister but then he himself became CM," Shinde said, taking a jibe at Uddhav Thackeray.
Shinde and a few MLAs of the ruling Shiv Sena have gone incommunicado and are camping in Surat.
The Congress has tried to inflict capital punishment on true secularism, he claimed, asserting that the Waqf law has no place in the Constitution.
"When BJP was untouchable in politics, Balasaheb Thackeray stood by that party," Uddhav said.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called on Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray to offer condolences on passing away of his father and Sena supremo Bal Thackeray.
The advertisement carries Sena's bow-and-arrow symbol and images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Shinde. It has no image or photo of Shiv Sena founder late Balasaheb Thackeray, a noticeable departure going by its earlier publicity materials.
Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray has said that he will not take over the position of "Shiv Sena pramukh" (supremo) which will always belong to his late father Bal Thackeray.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday mocked Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for "handing over the remote control" of the party to the Congress as he took poll battle to Mumbai with less than a week left for voting in Maharashtra.
Showing that he was in full control of the party, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said that dissidents were free to leave; while senior party leader Manohar Joshi, who had criticised his leadership style recently, apologised.
'Balasaheb Thackeray was a man who could control governments, despite not being in power. On the other hand, his son couldn't even control his party'
Security at the famous Saibaba shrine in Shirdi has been beefed up after the temple authorities received a letter threatening to trigger a blast on November 9 as also the Thackeray residence in Mumbai, police said on Wednesday.
In a major setback to party founder Sharad Pawar, the Election Commission of India also allotted the NCP symbol 'Wall Clock' to the group led by Ajit Pawar.
He also said that all political parties need to ask the poll watchdog the definition of a political party.
Incidentally, after the rebellion in June last year led to Shinde becoming chief minister, one of the reasons they gave for breaking away from Uddhav Thackeray was the dominance of the NCP in the Maha Vikas Agahdi government.
Mumbaikars can finally heave a sigh of relief. They will be able to celebrate this Valentine's Day in peace, as both Bal Thackeray and his nephew are busy campaigning for the crucial elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The Shiv Sena, led by Bal Thackeray, and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, led by Raj Thackeray, have in the past been infamous for coming down heavily against young couples celebrating Valentine's Day, which they think is a Western concept.
This is probably for the first time that the two former party colleagues-turned-opponents shared the stage after Rane's exit from the Shiv Sena, of which Thackeray is the president.
After Bal Thackeray, what consumes most political observers is his immediate political legacy. What is happening in Maharashtra is hardly unique to the state -- indeed, with regional parties increasingly becoming family businesses, such feuds are likely across the country, says Rohit Pradhan.
Vaijapur MLA Ramesh Bornare said Shivsainiks are happy with Shinde becoming the chief minister.
The Sena witnessed the first major jolt in 1991 when Chhagan Bhujbal, the Other Backward Class face of the party who was also credited with expanding the organisation's base in rural parts of Maharashtra, decided to leave the party.
A product of the 1942 Quit India movement, a Gandhian and a Socialist who remains closely connected with grassroot movements, Dr G G Parikh remains a familiar figure in Maharashtra.
People are standing with the Shiv Sena and not these traitors, Aaditya claimed.
The two rival Senas took over each other a day after the party's 57th foundation day celebrations which saw Thackeray and Shinde holding separate events in Mumbai and trading charges.
'The impression that Uddhav saheb is naram (soft or not-so-aggressive), anukool (congenial), manmilau (amiable) is true.' 'But he is Balasaheb's son. So, aggression comes naturally to him.'
He said Shinde has already made it clear his faction is not interested in staking claim to the Shiv Sena Bhavan or any property linked to the Thackeray group.
As Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is set to take oath as chief minister of Maharashtra on Thursday, preparations are in full swing at Shivaji Park in Dadar in central Mumbai.
The 60-year-old actor drove to Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's residence in Mumbai and sought his blessings.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gopinath Munde on Monday criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan's statement that Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray would lose his clout after the February 16 civic polls in the state saying he was "living in fool's paradise".
Thackeray had addressed the audience as his deshbhakt and deshpremi brothers and sisters" instead of the traditional invocation of "Hindu brothers and sisters" at the Shivaji Park gathering in Mumbai.
