(File photo: Uddhav and Raj Thackeray)
The target was clear and the attack was well-planned. The gun had been oiled for days and the bullets too had been carefully chosen. The moment came and the sniper fired. Once. And then a second time. Bull's-eye. Success, one would have thought. But no! The "enemy" raised its head and the sniper all of a sudden turned around and then ran for dear life.
And this is exactly how Uddhav Thackeray seems to have behaved. Just replace the bullets with arrows - remember their symbol? - terminology the Shiv Sena would relate to better.
Two editorials on two consecutive days which liberally took pot-shots at the BJP and its superman Narendra Modi. And then, in a matter of few hours, the mild-mannered Uddhav proclaimed that it was just "constructive criticism" and "an expression of expectations."
(Read: Do allies grow on trees? Uddhav Thackeray takes on BJP)The media didn't buy it. Nor did Uddhav's army of leaders.
But then: why the U-turn?
(Read: After rapid-fire editorials, Uddhav Thackeray tempers Narendra Modi critique)Fear. Fear of losing out to his warring cousin Raj Thackeray. For the longest time, the BJP has been pushing Uddhav to bury the hatchet with Raj. To them and most others, a united Team Thackeray could power the defeat of the incumbent Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra. Despite the late Balasaheb's attempts, the fratricidal war has not ended.
Meanwhile, Modi too hit it off with Raj Thackeray, inviting him to Gujarat as a state guest.
The spectre of the BJP dumping the Shiv Sena for the MNS is no longer impossible. With Balasaheb no longer alive and Advani marginalized by his own party, the compulsions to adhere to the old alliance have diminished. Moreover, howsoever controversial, Raj brings to the table a charisma and popularity that many see lacking in Uddhav.
Though it's no secret that the Shiv Sena is no fan of Narendra Modi, Uddhav's salvos were also meant to silence the BJP's Raj Thackeray fan club. A senior Sena leader also confirmed that after the first editorial, he had got a call from a BJP leader in Delhi who asked them to tone it down. Despite that, the Sena fired their second scathing editorial.
The arrow hit and hurt the BJP and Modi. But it has also left the Sena bleeding.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this blog are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this blog. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing on the blog do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.