Bal Thackeray

Bal Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena as a nativist party advocating for Marathi rights in Mumbai. The party opposed South Indian migrants and later targeted Muslims. It grew from a street-level organization into a major political force in Maharashtra.

Thackeray's Shiv Sena organized violent protests against South Indian migrants in Mumbai, demanding job reservations for Marathis. The agitation included attacks on Udipi restaurants and South Indian workers. It established the Sena's militant image and expanded its base among Marathi youth.

Thackeray led the Shiv Sena to victory in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, winning control of India's richest civic body. This gave the party significant patronage and administrative power in Mumbai, solidifying its dominance in the city.

Thackeray's speeches and the Shiv Sena's actions were widely blamed for inciting the 1992-93 Mumbai riots that followed the Babri Masjid demolition. Over 900 people were killed, mostly Muslims. Thackeray was arrested but later released. The riots deepened communal divisions in Mumbai.

Thackeray's Shiv Sena allied with the BJP to win the Maharashtra state election. The coalition formed the first non-Congress government in the state, with Thackeray as the de facto power behind the throne. He never held official office but controlled the government.