After its debacle in the Assembly elections that saw an impressive debut by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Shiv Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray has, despite his poor health, sought to move centrestage to reinforce his son Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership and the party’s control over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The Sena, which contested the Assembly polls under the leadership of Uddhav, could win only 44 seats (as against 56 in 2004) — two less than its ally BJP, while the three-year-old MNS won 13. Jittery of losing its hold on the BMC next, the party is planning to use the charisma of Thackeray to keep the flock together and retain power in the BMC.

“Balasaheb met senior leaders and MLAs last night and visited Sena Bhavan (Shiv Sena’s headquarters) after a gap of over two years,” a senior Sena leader said. “It has boosted the Sainiks’ morale. He is also going to talk to those who were defeated in the elections.”

He said Thackeray would become more active in the near future and conduct meetings of Sena corporators and Sainiks “to revive the old Shiv Sena spirit”.

During his visit to the Sena headquarters on Thursday night, Thackeray was mobbed by Sainiks. The Sena chief, on his part, asked them not to get disheartened by defeats and said the party had overcome many defeats in the past. He also said those who wanted to desert the Sena could go ahead.

The public appearance of Thackeray, who had stayed away from election campaigns, against the backdrop of Uddhav’s earlier remarks that his father would only address the victory rally after the Assembly polls indicates that the Sena could harden its stand on its pet issues.

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