Luxury Politics

In Indian politics, loyalty is often rewarded with patronage. But if recent allegations against Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) hold any merit, it seems that under his leadership, political positions were awarded not merely in exchange for allegiance, but for luxury cars. At the 98th All India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, Neelam Gorhe, a senior leader in the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council, dropped a bombshell: to secure a post in Thackeray’s party, one had to hand over two Mercedes cars.

The accusations, made in open forum, have cast a long shadow over the credibility of Thackeray’s leadership. According to Gorhe, the rot set in after Balasaheb Thackeray’s death in 2012. The Shiv Sena allegedly became an exclusive club under his son Uddhav.

Predictably, Thackeray’s loyalists have dismissed the allegations. Sanjay Raut, the party’s chief spokesperson, resorted to sarcasm, suggesting that if Gorhe had been made an MLC four times, she must have handed over eight Mercedes’. The allegations fit into a larger pattern of concerns regarding Thackeray’s leadership. His tenure as Chief Minister was marked by accusations of insularity, a governance style that seemed to favour those within his immediate circle rather than the rank-and-file Sainiks who had long fought for the party. The perception of a cloistered leader, more comfortable in the drawing rooms of ‘Matoshree’ than in the rough and tumble of Maharashtra’s politics, contributed to his eventual downfall in 2022, when Eknath Shinde led a successful rebellion, splitting the party in two.

More troubling still are the lingering questions surrounding the Thackeray family’s financial dealings. Senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has alleged that Rashmi Thackeray, Uddhav’s wife, along with the wife of Shiv Sena legislator Ravindra Waikar, purchased 19 houses in Alibag’s Korlai village - properties that were kept out of Thackeray’s election affidavit.

While corruption is hardly new to Maharashtra politics – the Congress, the NCP and even the BJP have had their share of scandals - what stands out in this case is the sheer entitlement embedded in Thackeray’s leadership style. He presented himself as an urbane, media-friendly leader, but his alleged inaccessibility and these allegations suggest otherwise.

It is telling that Gorhe’s allegations surfaced only after she switched loyalties to Eknath Shinde’s faction in 2023. Her decision to speak out now raises questions about timing and intent. Nevertheless, the fact remains that her claims resonate with the grievances aired by several other leaders who felt sidelined under Uddhav’s leadership.

When parties become family-run enterprises, decision-making is often arbitrary, with personal loyalty prioritized over competence. This erodes internal democracy and fosters a culture where access to power depends not on merit, but on wealth and connections. If Uddhav Thackeray wants to reclaim lost ground, he must do more than offer sarcastic rebuttals. For a leader struggling for political relevance, credibility is not a luxury he can afford to lose.