In what could be significant development in Maharashtra politics, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Raj Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief (MNS) have expressed interest in joining hands amid concerns over alleged threats to Marathi identity and culture.
Speaking at different events, the two leaders conveyed a common message that Maharashtra's linguistic and cultural interests are above political rivalries.
Asked about the possibility of a reunion between the cousins during a podcast with actor-filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar, Raj Thackeray said that the differences between him and his cousins are proving detrimental to Maharashtra's interests.
Uddhav Thackeray, addressing a gathering organised by the Bhartiya Kamgar Sena, expressed a conditional openness to reconciliation. "I'm ready to put aside petty disputes. I appeal to all Marathi people to unite in the interest of Maharashtra. But there is a condition -- when we pointed out in Parliament that industries were being shifted to Gujarat, if we had united then, we could have formed a government that worked for Maharashtra. We cannot keep switching sides -- supporting them one day, opposing them the next, and then compromising again," Uddhav Thackeray.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis suggested the BJP would be happy if the Thackeray cousins reunite. Still, he asserted that they wouldn't be able to defeat the NDA in the upcoming BMC elections. "We will be happy if they come together. Estranged people should reunite. It is a good thing if their disputes end. I feel the media is reading too much between the lines," said the Chief Minister.
From the Uddhav Thackeray camp, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut hinted at both leaders being ready to set aside their issues and reconcile. However, he reiterated the condition that his party's chief had laid down: Raj Thackeray should not give space to Maharashtra and Shiv Sena (UBT)'s "enemies".
A reunion of the Thackeray cousins would reshape Maharashtra's politics, which has seen alliances shift over the past few years. Elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, pending for three years, could be held this October, and if the cousins reunite, their fight against the BJP-led NDA will test their joint working skills and pave the way for future tie-ups.
The Congress, an ally of Uddhav Thackeray's Sena, too, had no objection. State Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal said Raj Thackeray appears to be endorsing the view that the BJP is trying to undermine the language and culture of Maharashtra.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule, daughter of veteran politician Sharad Pawar, said such a reunion should be "welcomed wholeheartedly". Calling it "happy news", she said Bal Thackeray would have been very happy if he were alive today.
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