Bal Thackeray & The Rise of the Shiv Sena

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How did a quiet, unassuming cartoonist at one of Indias leading newspapers transform into the fire-breathing chief of a militant political outfit? How did his essentially sons-of-the-soil movement take Mumbai by storm in the 1960s with its demands for the Marathi peoples employment rights and attacks on South Indians and the Communists? How did he make the shift from an aggressive Maharashtrianism to strident Hindutva to become one of the major players in Indian politics? What explains his control over Indias financial capital, his capture of power in Indias industrial powerhouse, Maharashtra, and his ability to win over the minds of millions and to strike fear in so many hearts? How did he and his Shiv Sena establish sway over the multi-crore film industry and, with its longstanding alliance with the BJP, become a subject of intense curiosity all over India and even in Pakistan?

This book tells the complete story of Bal Thackeray and the rise, fall and split of the Shiv Sena. It examines Thackeray the person and his intriguing political personality, his partys militaristic methods of operation, its controversial role at major junctures, the fight between Thackerays nephew Raj and son Uddhav, the end of an era in Maharashtra politics after his death in November 2012 and the future of the Shiv Sena without his imposing presence. A must-read for an understanding of contemporary Indian politics and the rise of the Hindu nationalist phenomenon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vaibhav Purandare

VAIBHAV PURANDARE grew up playing cricket at Shivaji Park, Mumbai, at the same time as the school-going Sachin Tendulkar was amassing loads of runs on the field. He watched helplessly as Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli walked away with a world-record partnership against his school. Purandare was taught in college by Tendulkarâ€™s father, Professor Ramesh Tendulkar, and was coached as a right-hand batsman and off-spin bowler by Tendulkarâ€™s coach, Ramakant Acharekar. He began his journalistic career in 1993 with the political newsmagazine Blitz and has since worked with Indiaâ€™s leading newspapers like The Indian Express and The Asian Age, apart from writing for a host of other publications. His first book, The Sena Story, a history of the Hindu militant political party Shiv Sena, was published in 1999, when he was only 23. He is currently an assistant editor with Mid Day, Mumbaiâ€™s largest-selling eveninger.