India, June 18 -- MUMBAI The bizarre paradox of Maharashtra's turbulent coalition politics has been made evident, as the Shiv Sena (UBT) faces its worst ever existential crisis on the eve of the Bal Thackeray-envisioned Shiv Sena's 60th anniversary - a party that dominated Mumbai's politics for four consecutive decades, said political observers.

Amid speculations that six of his MPs were set to cross over to the rival Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, a shell-shocked Uddhav Thackeray remarked with intense aversion on Monday that he was ready to plough a lone furrow. "Whoever wants to leave the party can quit," he remarked.

However, by Wednesday a calm Thackeray was ready to work on his next strategy. Interestingly, the defection exercise is ...