India, Feb. 7 -- While deputy chief minister and Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde campaigned aggressively for the zilla parishad elections, scheduled for Saturday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray was conspicuous by his absence from the campaign.

Although this is being interpreted as apathy on Thackeray's part in some political circles, Shiv Sena (UBT) insiders said it was a deliberate decision. Thackeray, they said, has realised that the Shiv Sena (UBT) cannot compete with the ruling parties and their "politics of resources", so he has strategically decided to focus on working as a pressure group in the opposition.

Local body elections are typically seen as a testing ground for assembly and Lok Sabha polls, with local leaders gi...