India, Jan. 14 -- While Matoshree is locked in a fierce poll combat with Mahayuti partners - BJP and Shiv Sena -- aiming to stake control on Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), seasoned players and city chroniclers hark back to the civic elections in 1985 which the Shiv Sena (undivided) won handsomely on the Mumbai-for-Marathi plank, hurling a political challenge at Congress.

Little did political heavy weights of the time know that there would be a tug-of-war over the Mumbai-for-Marathi call years later.

As a former Sena MLA, who did not wish to be named, observed, "Four decades on, the Congress has been replaced by another pan-India party -- the BJP. Like his father, Uddhav Thackeray has brought together Marathis on the son-of-th...