UDDHAV THACKERAY WAS ALWAYS AN UNLIKELY LEGATEE. The comparison with the man in the portrait on the wall behind him was never going to be favourable. And not just in the eyes of the faithful. In terms of the undefinable substance that creates a political persona-call it aura, charisma or the X-factor-Uddhav's personality was such that he would always walk in the shadow of his father. Bal Thackeray, the cartoonist who redrew Bombay as Mumbai, was larger than life. Mixing demagogic speechifying with crackling wit, blending visceral nativist pride with unbridled Hindutva, and infusing ideology with enormous amounts of street cred, Bal Thackeray was almost a planet unto himself. The Shiv Sena was without doubt something he had sired-a party that drew on the deep taproot of Marathi cultural and political history like no other before it. Uddhav inherited that party structure, but worked with a primary complication. As a personality, he was cut of a different cloth: soft-spoken, almost demure by comparison. As a politician, his ideology was less extravagantly stated, more indeterminate. To his credit, he did not shirk from attempting the impossible-owning the legacy, but steering it in his own way, tying up with ideological opposites, talking Hindutva but dialling it down in practice. But, in the ultimate analysis, his primary handicap was that he was always going to be what someone once called him: a Thackeray who was not Thackeray enough.
This story is from the July 11, 2022 edition of India Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 11, 2022 edition of India Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BJP's Big Paschim Test
On paper, the BJP-RLD tie-up is a winner for the NDA in west UP, though the INDIA bloc thinks otherwise. The BSP's entry with mixed candidates can unsettle both alliances
Why Gen V Matters
The Way The 210 Million-Strong Generation Viksit Bharat Casts Its Vote Will Determine The Outcome Of This Election As It Has In The Past
Heart Stopper
Cushions with tales of beauty, serenity, art and nature
THE NIPPON NARRATIVE
Say konnichiwa to good design and sayōnara to bad aesthetics, as this apartment in Bangalore is a lesson in how to use Japanese design effectively
RURAL RESPLENDENCE
This second home in a small village in Uttar Pradesh brings to life the beauty and simplicity of locally sourced materials
Curves in the Right Places
Arches may be taking over interior design, but how and where you place them in your home can make or mar the look of the room
Marvels in Mud
Here's how this humble material is changing the way we look at eco-friendly homes in India
DESIGN FOR THE AGES
Five homes, five distinct design styles that help decode how to curate age-appropriate spaces
TAKE FIVE
FROM RUGS TO CUSHIONS, THESE DECOR PIECES WILL GIVE YOUR INTERIORS AN INSTANT MAKEOVER THIS SEASON
TRENDY TABLESCAPES
At the turn of the season, three fashion labels throw a soiree that is stylish, suave and sophisticated