The political reunion of the Thackeray cousins, who had been estranged for years, ahead of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, has not only evoked strong reactions in the state's political corridors but has created conditions for significant churning within Maharashtra politics.
Even as the ruling Mahayuti dismissed the political relevance of the alliance between UBT Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), the Thackeray loyalists are describing the moment as "historic," hoping that Uddhav and Raj Thackeray joining hands would bring the ideology of "son of the soil" to the forefront again.
As the Thackeray brothers joined hands, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that Congress must also come together to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "We have urged the Congress many times that if we have to defeat the BJP, we must come together," Raut told reporters. When asked about the seat-sharing formula between UBT Sena and Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Raut refused to comment on the same, saying that brothers don't indulge in business.
Here's a timeline of what led the cousins to again come together for the ‘Marathi Manoos’:
- January 23, 1926: Bal Thackeray born in Pune
- 1950-60s: Stint as cartoonist with The Free Press Journal
- August 13, 1960: Founded Marmik, weekly that focussed on issues of Marathi manoos
- June 19, 1966: Shiv Sena formed, larger cause was welfare and interests of Marathi manoos
- October 30, 1966: Shiv Sena's first Dussehra rally held at the historic Shivaji Park
- March 14, 1995- November 18, 1999: Shiv Sena-BJP government comes to power - late Dr Manohar Joshi and Narayan Rane serve as Chief Ministers
- February 2003: Balasaheb’s son Uddhav Thackeray becomes Shiv Sena’s Executive President, cousin Raj Thackeray proposes his name at Mahabaleshwar conclave
- October 2005: Raj Thackeray shows signs of revolt, leaves Shiv Sena
- March 9 2006: Raj Thackeray launches Maharashtra Navnirman Sena
- November 17, 2012: Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray dies of prolonged illness, aged 86
- Lok Sabha polls 2019: In Lok Sabha polls, Raj refrains from putting candidates, but targets Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah
- June 21, 2022: Top Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde revolts, splits the 56-year-old 'original' Shiv Sena
- June 30, 2022: Eknath Shinde sworn in as CM, Devendra Fadnavis his deputy
- 2023: Election Commission declares Shinde-faction as real Shiv Sena while Uddhav had to settle for Shiv Sena (UBT)
- May 2024: In Lok Sabha polls, Shiv Sena (UBT), which is part of opposition MVA-INDIA alliance, performs well winning nine seats.
- July 3, 2025: Uddhav and Raj come together in one platform after nearly two decades on the issue of Marathi language.
- December 24, 2025: Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS seal electoral alliance for Mumbai civic polls, other municipal corporations.
The alliance will serve as a crucial litmus test for both Thackerays, whose parties face an existential crisis.
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