The charisma of direct action : power, politics, and the Shiv Sena

Introduction p. 1 The Shakha and its Neighbourhood p. 13 Making Popular Culture p. 39 Charisma and its Underbelly: Principle and Practice of the Sena's Authoritarian Ideal p. 54 Militant Enmity p. 87 Violence as Method and Ideology p. 113 Shifting Limits p. 150 Vada Pav and Zhunka Bhakar: The Shiv Sena's Electoral Expansion and the Economic Informalization of Mumbai p. 170 Dismantling the 'Congress System' p. 210 Shivshahi in Limbo p. 238 Volent Action as Participation p. 265 Bibliography p. 282 Glossary p. 296 Abbreviations p. 301 Election Results p. 303 The Official Structure of the Shiv Sena p. 306 This book is a study of the Shiv Sena, a minor but most influential affiliate of the Hindu nationalist movement. It discusses the politics and appeal of the party which has been governing Mumbai and has achieved electoral success in a democracy that it often dispises. Through an analysis of the Shiv Sena, the book attempts to understand anti-pluralist movements of voilent direct action in particular.