The 60th year has a certain special significance in the Indian ethos, and its beginning is often marked by ceremonies and a sense of life’s work almost done. This must hold true for political parties too. Would the Shiv Sena, which entered its 60th on June 19th, believe that its time has been well spent articulating the concerns that a sub-nationalist party in Maharashtra should have, or would it be sobered by its chequered history and the uncertainty it faces today? Before an answer to that question can be attempted, the fundamental question is: Which of the two factions—headed by Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and Eknath Shinde—is the real Shiv Sena, after all?

It is remarkable indeed that the movement for native........

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