Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde got annoyed when a mediaperson sought his reaction on the speculation of reconciliation between estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, and asked the reporter to instead talk about the government’s work.
While Shinde was at his native Dare village in Satara district on Saturday, a reporter from TV Marathi asked for his comment on the buzz of rapprochement between Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirnam Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray. Shinde got irritated and brushed aside the reporter’s boom. “Talk about work,” said the Shiv Sena leader, who is not known to lose his composure in public. Reacting to the episode, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said it is obvious that Shinde would get angry. He also targeted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
“Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will not show his anger, but from within, there will be a churn in his stomach. We know how fake the BJP’s happiness is. They don’t want it (the alliance),” Raut told reporters. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Fadnavis had said, “If they come together, we are happy. Estranged people should come together, and if their disputes end, it is a good thing….I feel the media is reading too much between the lines, so it is better to wait for some time.” Asked if this would have an impact in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, he had asserted that the BJP-led NDA will win the polls comfortably.
The buzz about the rapprochement started after Raj Thackeray said in a podcast interview with film-maker Mahesh Manjrekar – recorded weeks ago but released on Saturday – that he had no issues working with Uddhav in the undivided Shiv Sena. The question is does Uddhav want to work with him, asked the MNS chief. Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with statements indicating they could ignore ”trivial issues” and join hands nearly two decades after a bitter parting of ways.
While the MNS chief said uniting in the interests of ”Marathi manoos” was not difficult, former CM Uddhav Thackeray said he was ready to put aside trivial fights, provided that those working against Maharashtra’s interests were not entertained. Uddhav’s assertion has been seen as a veiled reference to the MNS chief recently hosting Deputy CM Eknath Shinde at his residence. Without naming his cousin, Uddhav Thackeray said nothing should be done to help the ”thieves”, an apparent reference to the BJP and Shinde-led Sena. Uddhav Thackeray received a major setback in 2022 when Eknath Shinde split the Shiv Sena and toppled his government.
Shinde then formed a government with BJP’s support. In last year’s polls to the 288-member state assembly, the Sena (UBT) won only 20 seats out of the 95 it contested as part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi. Raj, nephew of late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, quit the party in January 2006, blaming Uddhav for his decision. He then launched the MNS, which initially took a strident anti-North Indian stand. But after winning 13 seats in the 2009 assembly elections, MNS was pushed to the margins. It drew a blank in the 2024 assembly polls.
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