Provocative speeches hint street violence may aggravate crisis

Stating that retaining the BMC and the MVA regime are the twin challenges before the Shiv Sena, a former civil servant said, 'With more than 35 of its MLAs leaving Sena, Uddhav Thackeray will flex his organisational muscle in a bid to scare the rebels into submission. Second, he will revive the party's political rhetoric, which defined the Balasaheb era.'

- Ambarish Mishra

Mumbai: Provocative speeches by Shiv Sena leaders and party rebels and reports of irate Sainiks holding anti-rebel demonstrations in several parts of the state indicate that street violence may aggravate the crisis that has wracked the Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and threatens to trigger a long-drawn legal battle, said observers on Sunday.

Matoshree's game plan is to browbeat Shinde and the 40-plus rebel MLAs and ministers into submission by using strong-arm tactics - the Sena's USP since the 1970s. Clearly, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is eager to reassert his authority and revamp the organisation ahead of the crucial BMC elections, observers added.