MUMBAI, Jan 12: While Shiv Sena boys are busy digging cricket pitches, the Thackeray boys are picking up precious brownie points on non-political pitches. Uddhav, Sena chief Bal Thackeray's son, has displayed his prowess with camera-and-lenses; Raj, Thackeray's nephew, is preparing to unveil over 100 caricatures of famous personalities later this month. As always, there's the inescapable touch of one-upmanship.Uddhav's exhibition of wildlife captured on film during his treks in Kanha, Gir and other national parks have what such a photographic collection usually does - exquisite creatures of the wild amidst lush green foliage. The sort that's found in coffee-table books. It's his labour of love of many years, he says. Photography is a passion when he is not congratulating Sena men for digging pitches or discussing with them their next nuisance-value job.Of course, his collection framed and hung at the premier Jehangir Art Gallery is replete with tigers, the cliched icon of Indian wildlife and hisparty's symbol too.Cousin Raj has more reason to claim the legacy of the Thackeray Sr. Raj walks, talks and draws like his uncle; he looks uncannily like what Thackeray must have many decades ago. For years, as he sat with his easel and pen in the chamber where Thackeray meets very important people, Raj's hand would be busy penning the guest's portrait - of course, the Thackeray brand of caustic sarcasm showing in the lines.It's a decent collection, one that any committed cartoonist with unbridled access would have. Two weeks from now, as Uddhav's display winds up, Raj's show will begin at an equally prestigious venue - the Nehru Centre. He has tried to notch a first - caricatures on canvas. Thackeray Sr will do the opening formalities as the entire Maharashtra state cabinet can be expected to provide the claps, as they did for Uddhav's show.In fact, publicity for the photographs is so ubiquitous that Mumbaiites cannot miss it; huge banners flutter at strategic locations across the city, alwayscourtesy a local leader or his ``well-wishers''. Blowing his own bugle is not Uddhav's style. Raj, it is said, has a wider circle of ``well-wishers'', the publicity can be expected to be as omnipresent, if not more. Not surprisingly he is excited. Raj, as several Sena leaders who have seen him for years testify, is a rather excitable and arrogant man. Very unlike the sober and seemingly humble Uddhav.The cousins are unlikely competitors for a political legacy that's well on the road of ridicule. For them, the legacy is life itself. As youngsters, it was always important for both to be in the best books of the Sena chief. Their political education has been, give or take a meeting or two, the same. Yet, as politicians Uddhav and Raj are markedly different. So apart that a veteran Sena leader remarked that the future of the party will be largely determined by who Balasaheb chooses as his heir.Since the Sena with the BJP cake-walked into power in 1995, Uddhav and Raj have played roles that typify theirpersonalities - Raj has led agitations, played host to Michael Jackson to kick-start the party's employment-promise scheme Shiv Udyog Sena and demanded assurances of the government as a brash Opposition would. Uddhav has been the archetypal backroom boy winning the confidence of senior party leaders, a key member of the party's policymaking group and tipped more than once to replace Manohar Joshi as chief minister.Thackeray Sr has left his choices open; he trusts them both, allots tasks to both and ask for feedback from both. Yet, he too must know their strengths and weaknesses. Raj, once a student leader, would have been most happy to lead the motley mob to Ferozeshah Kotla; Uddhav would have cringed at the thought though he was generous with his compliments. Their achievements in the non-political arena, the respectable world of art, too carry undercurrents of fierce competitiveness. Raj dismisses the January timing was ``purely coincidental'' but then he is a politician's politician.
