An inspiring friendship developed between Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar after the Shiv Sena cut off ties with the BJP, sore and sour at being denied the Chief Minister’s post, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi was formed, giving Uddhav Thackeray what he wanted even as three decades of uncomfortable BJP one-upmanship was thrust down a drainpipe.

From then on, it was the Thackeray surname and the Pawar power-play! Also, ‘Kaun Banega Chief Minister?’ was in this case easier done! But who knew Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray nursed chief ministerial ambitions, at least not Balasaheb Thackeray who would have burst out in outrage.

Then, again, who would have thought NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, whose Muslim appeasement is second to none, would team up with a Thackeray, brought up in the crucible of Hindutva? Sharad Pawar found a kindred spirit and Uddhav Thackeray reveled in his new apparition. If the Hindu Hriday Samrat was around, he would have jumped ship and done a Titanic – sunk to the deepest trough of despair and disgust at his son's act of disgrace.

Uddhav, a caricature of Hindutva donning a skullcap! But Uddhav Thackeray found a mentor, and a father-figure, as well! What now, after polls cast both NCP (Sharad Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT) into the deep trough of irrelevance, far from the madding crowd of the eddying chaos of politics?

The loss in the Maharashtra assembly elections is a big setback to both parties, especially to the ego of NCP founder and Maharashtra’s political heavyweight, Sharad Pawar, whose supporters take pride in his “Pawar-play.” What will be the roles of Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray in Maharashtra politics after the drubbing NCP (Sharad Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT) received at the hands of the Mahayuti, whereto from hereto?

Do they get more chances to make headlines? One is too old at 84, the other appears too frail for the rough and tumble of everyday politics. NCP (Sharad Pawar) contested 89 seats in the Maharashtra assembly elections but could only secure 10 of them. Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar took the plum share— 41 out of 59 seats, which has left Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule — a fixture from the family's Lok Sabha pocket-borough of Baramati— facing a tricky future.

There is also the Baramati assembly constituency, from where Ajit Pawar defeated Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew Yugendra Pawar. As for Uddhav Thackeray — the other half of the Pawar-Thackeray combine— the Uddhav-led Shiv Sena contested from 98 seats, won 20 and lost 78, leaving Shiv Sena (UBT) in doldrums.

With that the question, "which Shiv Sena is Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena?” has been settled. The Oscar goes to Shiv Sena (Shinde)! Uddhav Thackeray had earlier lost the party symbol to Shinde's Shiv Sena and Uddhav had also lost the Maharashtra government and the Chief Minister’s post to Shinde. For all purposes, Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray’s career is over unless if he is the proverbial Phoenix.

Today, whether Uddhav Thackeray takes off for another political bout, is in doubt. Uddhav’s son and political heir Aditya Thackeray contested from the Worli constituency, a hard-fought battle of the ballot, and won, ensuring that a Thackeray remains in the state assembly, which should give Uddhav Thackeray a Quantum of Solace.

So much for Uddhav and Sharad Pawar. Fact is, there is no distinguishing Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar) from Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar. The individual and the party, in both cases, aren't different — take ‘Uddhav’ out and there will be no Shiv Sena (UBT), take ‘Sharad’ out and there will be no NCP (Sharad Pawar).

What should gall both parties, however, are their strike rates, which pale in front of the rival NCP and the rival Shiv Sena respectively. Unless Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray is a sound sleeper and Sharad Pawar is used to keeping late nights, both the politicians would find it hard to get through the after-dark hours without moonshine!

Having said all that, including pointing out that politics makes strange bedfellows, there is no saying what's in store for Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray; or, for that matter, what they make of themselves in the times to come? There is the forthcoming Mumbai local elections to keep them busy plotting and planning, perhaps also winning happily.

Beyond that, there is the moon, and the sun, and life lived to the fullest. There is also the INDI-Alliance and its goals; there is the battle for the Waqf Board, and there is the Muslim minority vote-bank, which appeared to have deserted them in the Maharashtra assembly elections? Will the two Shiv Sena become one again? Will nephew Pawar and uncle Pawar join hands again and bring back the smile on cousin/daughter Supriya Sule’s face?

Politics is all about possibilities. Politicians don’t retire. Suffice to say, these two won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Ask and the answer will be, there’s still “miles to go before we sleep”; at least, wait till Maharashtra gets its next Chief Minister! Also, what if Eknath Shinde isn’t made CM? What if Devendra Fadnavis is not declared Chief Minister after a hiatus of five years? What if Sunetra Pawar convinces hubby Ajit Pawar that he’s the authentic “Chief Minister-material” and Ajit chooses to become a spoke in the wheel? Lest anybody forget, life is a roller-coaster, and politics even more so! (IPA Service)