The road to Sena Bhavan is gridlocked.
Every inch is a battle for space as party workers from different parts of the city, indeed the state, have descended upon this iconic building to celebrate what until this morning seemed unexpected: A victory.
The road from Dadar station, one of the most important railway junctions on the Mumbai suburban line, to Shiv Sena Bhavan, the headquarters of the Shiv Sena UBT, is crowded on the best of days.
Today, it is gridlocked. Every inch is a battle for space as party workers from different parts of the city, indeed the state, have descended upon this iconic building to celebrate what until this morning seemed unexpected: a victory.
At the time of reporting, the Maha Vikas Aghadi of which Sena UBT is a part was leading in 29 of Maharashtra's 48 Lok Sabha constituencies, with the Uddhav faction leading in 10.
Following a rebellion within his party, Uddhav Thackeray had to let go of the name and the party symbol to his former lieutenant, Eknath Shinde whose Shiv Sena was leading in just 6 seats.
Thus was born the Shiv Sena UBT.
Uddhav Thackeray is a mild-mannered politician unlike his firebrand father Balasaheb Thackeray. What he did inherit though was Senior's steely resolve that saw him steer Maharashtra and its capital, Mumbai through the COVID-19 crisis. His almost-daily updates and a calm demeanour, quickly endeared him to even the liberalest of liberals.
The loss of his party's name and symbol to Shinde was perhaps the best thing to happen to Uddhav. He was finally free of the shackles of the Shiv Sena's right wing legacy that sometimes could border on the extreme.
The fact that the Shiv Sena UBT's party symbol is a flaming torch, a mashaal, is no coincidence. Unlike the old Sena's symbol, the bow and arrow that stood for violence, the flaming torch can stand for many things.
A source of warmth on a cold, dark night, a beacon of light at a time when all hope seems to be lost, and yes, progress.
Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena has been this and then some. It is a tale that will be remembered, and one that will be re-told.
