Uddhav Thackeray has to gauge the split first

Out of power from the state's top job, Uddhav Thackeray will now have to gauge the split of the party, experts say. On the face of it, the split is clearly visible in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly - of the 55 legislators, 39 have pledged allegiance to the Eknath Shinde camp.

“Shiv Sena has a unique hierarchy - Shiv Sena Pramukh, followed by Netes and Up-Netes, Vibagh Pramukh, Up-Vibagh Pramukh, Zilla Pramukhs, Shahar Pramukhs and Shakha Pramukh. It has deep penetration at the grassroot level,” said veteran political analyst Prakash Akolkar.

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“At the level of the legislature the split is known, but what has happened in the ground is not yet known,” said Akolkar, adding that Thackeray’s first task would be to ascertain the split.
Shiv Sena has 12 members in the Maharashtra Legislative Council and the split there is unclear. Of the 18 MPs, around 10 are in touch with the rebel camp.

Many political observers said Shiv Sena would have a detailed plan to resurrect itself. “It will have to go back to basics and do things perhaps in the Shiv Sena-style,” a political observer said.

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The Shiv Sena has seen rebellion by Chhagan Bhujbal, Narayan Rane, and Raj Thackeray in the past, and now by Eknath Shinde - but the party knows how to be back in action.

The period between October-November 2019 is crucial in Maharashtra politics when the 30-year-old Shiv Sena-BJP alliance broke and Uddhav Thackeray became the Chief Minister of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government with the support of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP and the Sonia Gandhi-led Congress. Today, the rebellion within the Sena ranks over his "dilution" of stance in Hindutva has seen Thackeray resign as Maharashtra Chief Minister.

“From now on, I would sit in the Shiv Sena Bhavan and rebuild the party,” Thackeray said as he resigned as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister.

“Shiv Sena is not born for power…. power is born for Shiv Sena. This has always been Balasaheb's (Thackeray) mantra. We will work and come to power on our own once again,” said Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut, a close aide of the Thackeray-family.