India, July 1 -- As the Shiv Sena completed six decades of its turbulent political journey on June 19, the party found itself confronting yet another split - its fifth major split in six decades. The crisis raises fundamental questions about leadership, succession, ideology and the future of both the Thackeray family and Maharashtra's regional politics.

Last week, on June 19, the Shiv Sena marked its 60th anniversary. Since its inception, in the past 6o years, the party has experienced several splits, with the latest occurring on June 26. Shiv Sena's 60th anniversary is contested by two factions-Thackeray's Sena (UBT) and Eknath Shinde's Sena-each claiming the party's original ideological legacy.

On June 26, a significant political rift...